


Too Serious, Too Soon

by flameomydrhotman



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Mild Language, Minor Character Death, Minor Violence, POV Original Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-01
Updated: 2015-09-21
Packaged: 2018-03-04 20:15:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 62,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3087662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flameomydrhotman/pseuds/flameomydrhotman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A retelling of the Avatar's story starting mid-way through book one including new characters, new points of view, new challenges and new dangers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Oh, that is handsome!

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there, this is my first work here on A03 and I'm excited to be here. Some might know me as "Remindsmeofawestsidestory" over on FF.net, but I have decided to relocate this beloved work of mine and my bestie. So, I hope you enjoy it. Kudos and comments are always welcomed. <3

Masami knew hanging around a strange ship probably wasn't the best idea. Kali didn't know they were pirates, but Masami figured after being in here a few minutes they probably were. She moved slowly, glancing about the awkward little store; she’d never seen things like this before. Some of the things looked to be very old, and some of them very valuable. She lifted a slightly heavy rock sculpture, looking at the details. The figure detailed in the statute seemed to be a dragon of some sort. It was a lovely piece of art, but she assumed it was very expensive, much like the rest of the artifacts in the ship. She wasn't sure how she should approach anything. She put her hand down on a table, and squealed as she put her hand down on a shrunken, shriveled up head. She lifted her hand, and examined it,  
  
 **"This is disgusting! I want it!"**  
  
She held the head by the hair, and she looked up as a group of three entered; a male and female that appeared to be similar in appearance, and she then laid eyes on a little boy, a year or so younger than herself most likely. He looked different than the others, and she really couldn’t place where he was from. He had tattoos she had never seen before, she really thought she should have known where they were from, but at the same time, but really didn’t know where; there was something oddly captivating about him. Eventually, she caught herself staring, she looked away as he looked at her. She watched them moving around and she gradually got closer to the bald boy, but only for a moment. He was quiet adorable. She tossed some gold on the table for the shrunken head, and she turned to go, there was no need to keep looking at strangers, she needed to find her sister. As she was leaving, she heard the bald boy speak,

  
 **”What say ye to the price of one copper piece?”**  
  
The pirate laughed, and the boy offered more, but only by 1 copper piece, and this angered the pirate. Masami wanted to look back and see what the offering was over, but whatever it was, she was certain it was worth more then a price like that. Despite this, Masami couldn't stop herself from giggling over the antics of the other. She covered her mouth, and she scurried out of the ship. Once outside, she ran a hand through her curls and started to look for her sister; with her short stature it was rather difficult for her to see very far, and she jumped a few times, trying to catch sight of her gangly other half. Her dark eyes strained to see much farther, but no matter how she looked, she could not find her sister. A moment later, a hand caught her in the back, and she looked back to see the bald boy from before and both of his companions. The group was making away from the ship, and the pirates seemed to be after them, and it seemed, she had been mistaken as part of their group, honest mistake really, had she had time, she could have just told them she was just looking for her sister, but as it were, it seemed someone had done something they shouldn’t have, and they were now in trouble.

 

**"Run!"**   


The bald boy told her, and run she did. She glanced over her shoulder, and didn’t like the idea of these angry men going after them. She shouldered the bag she had, and she did her best to keep up with the group.

 

* * *

 

Kali strolled along the docks. She'd found most of the provisions they'd needed, including some tasty cabbages a somewhat familiar looking merchant had sold her. She studied the foreign looking ship in front of her. Masami had insisted they meet here, due to the distinctness of the ship. She'd been intrigued by it. Kali, for her part, thought the crew looked a bit too suspicious to be ordinary merchants. Masami had been supposed to meet her here several minutes ago. Had she gone into the ship to look around? Kali frowned and started toward the ship’s entrance only to be nearly knocked over by a man running into her, holding a pile of stuff. The Fire Nation soldier peered around his pile and frowned down at her,

 

**"Watch where you're going!"**

 

She narrowed her eyes but said nothing and stepped aside. The Fire Nation was not to be trifled with. Though she was a fire bender, Kali held no real ties to any particular nation. Her mother had been a Fire Nation prisoner of the Earth Kingdom, her father's land. But the Fire Nation had done her no favors. Their own soldiers had been responsible for the deaths of her mom and her fellow captives. She watched as the man, followed by fellow soldiers also carrying piles (except for the last, who carried a Tsungi horn), strolled down toward a small, older looking Fire Nation ship moored at the end of the docks. Surveying them from not too far away were an older, chubby man and a young man with a scar covering half his face. The former had a cheerful smile on his face while the latter wore a dark scowl across his. Kali turned her attention back to her sister.

 

Entering the makeshift shop of the ship, Kali peered around the room. An odd assortment of items greeted her eyes. Boomerangs, strange statues, shrunken heads, scrolls, and various other objects of interest were spread out on shelves. She walked along, feigning interest in the contents of the shelves and attempted to ignore the wary stare of the man who stood behind the counter at the far end of the room. The reptilian bird which sat upon his shoulder, his dress, and the overall contents and look of the room convinced her that this was, indeed, a pirate ship. She had just come to a decision to simply ask the pirate about her sister when another pirate suddenly entered the room, apparently out of breath. He held a sharp blade in one hand and appeared to have some manner of cream or oil coloring his lips which made them brightly colored. As he reached the counter, the other pirate, apparently the captain, asked in a gravelly voice,

 

**"Well?"**

 

At that moment, the two Fire Nation men she'd seen earlier walked in and the older man, seeing the statue in front of Kali, quickened his pace towards her.

 

 **"Oh that is handsome!"** he exclaimed, beaming, then turned to her, **"Are you thinking of buying this?"**

She shook her head and returned his smile,

 

**"Oh...no. I was just admiring it. “**

 

She shuffled back to allow him room to further examine the statue and turned to look at the shrunken heads instead. The Scar groaned,

 

**"Uncle, we don't have time for this!"**

 

 **"Just a moment,"** Uncle replied calmly, **"I think I might buy this. Wouldn't it look magnificent in the galley?"**

 

Fruity Lips and the Captain turned back from looking them over and Fruity Lips answered the Captain's earlier question.

 

**"We lost the Water Tribe kids, the little bald monk they were with, and that other girl."**

 

The Scar stiffened and turned to them at once, stepping forward.

 

**"This monk, did he have an arrow on his head?"**

 

 **"What's it to you?"** demanded the Captain. Kali glanced at Uncle, who was making a comical imitation of the statue's face. She suppressed a giggle and continued to listen to the conversation behind her. The Scar spoke smoothly in a low voice, but a quality of tension clung to his voice,

 

**"I'm searching for a certain young bald monk with arrow tattoos. If this monk you mentioned was him, I may be willing to help you with your search."**

 

The Captain's frown deepened, **"What exactly would you gain from that?"**

 

The Scar narrowed his eyes. **"All I want is the monk, assuming, of course, that he had the tattoos. Did he?"**

 

The two pirates exchanged glances, then nodded. Just then, Uncle nudged her and Kali looked down at him, startled.

 

**"What do you think of this statue exactly? Do you think it would be a bit too much if, say, I set it up in the galley of our ship? It has quite an attractive quality to it, I think."**

 

Kali found herself unable to repress a smile and nodded,

 

**"I'm sure it would look lovely in your galley."**

 

The Scar, who'd noted this brief conversation, continued,

 

**"What exactly would you gain from finding them?"**

 

**"The Water Tribe girl stole a water-bending scroll of considerable worth. We want it back."**

**"I can provide you with reinforcements for tracking and capturing them. We can both get what we want."**

 

The Scar leaned forward, his eyes narrowing further,

 

**"Do we have a deal?"**

 

Again, the pirates exchanged glances and the Captain nodded,

 

**"Agreed."**

 

 **"Excellent!"** exclaimed Uncle, moving forward next to the Scar, **"Now, perhaps you could get me a deal on this statue as well?"**

 

The Captain shrugged then looked over at Kali, who was still pretending to have a morbid fascination with shrunken heads.

 

**"You gonna buy any of those or not? Cause if not, you need to leave now. Shop's officially closed."**

 

Kali smiled over at him,

 

**"No thanks. I've decided none of these are quite my style."**

 

She began to head for the door, wondering if the "other girl" Fruity Lips had mentioned could be Masami. Abruptly, Fruity Lips appeared beside her and grabbed her arm,

 

**"Perhaps you'd like to reconsider? Earlier we had a customer who touched one of them by accident and became instantly inspired to buy it. It might be the same for you.”**

 

She looked back at the heads. Sounds like something Masami'd do, she thought.

 

 **"Alright,"** she half-smiled at him, **"Perhaps I would like to reconsider. Mind showing me where exactly that shrunken head the other customer liked was?"**

 

She allowed him to lead her back to the heads. Uncle pulled the Scar aside and leaned in,

 

**"Prince Zuko, are you sure this is wise?"**

 

**"Of course I'm sure. What better way to find the Ava-the monk, than with the help of others who are looking for him as well?"**

 

Kali didn't like the sound of this whole thing, especially if her sister was involved. She could feel the prince's eyes on her and looked around, meeting his eyes for a moment. He was glaring at her impatiently. Obviously she was delaying him. Feeling slightly resentful, she slowed her pace, reaching the heads again, looked down at where the pirate indicated the shrunken head had been. She thanked him and gingerly touched the other heads while searching for a sign, any sign, that her sister was indeed that other customer. Not finding it, she sighed inwardly, but couldn't ignore the growing feeling that her sister had gotten herself into this mess somehow. Finally, she forced herself to resume the original plan of asking the Captain about her sister. She picked up a head and walked forward to purchase it. As she did so, she asked,

 

 **"Could you describe what this other customer who bought one of these looked like? As it happens,"** she glanced back at Zuko, " **I'm looking for someone as well."**

 

The Captain frowned darkly and impatiently and said,

 

**"Look, girl. Unless you have something to offer here, I've no use for anyone else getting involved here."**

 

 **"Well,"** she said, thinking fast, **"I'm looking for my sister. She's got brown hair, is about yey high, and has red eyes.”**

 

A spark of recognition lit the pirate’s eyes and the dread that had been growing inside her increased. He seemed to nod slightly, as if confirming her fear that it had indeed been Masami with the monk and his friends.

 

**“I can't offer you any more reinforcements than myself, but I can offer you someone who knows this area well and is a good tracker."**

 

Here she exchanged a glance with Uncle, **"I lose Masami fairly often and I know the right people to talk to when it comes to finding her. If she’s with the people you’re looking for, I can help trace your monk and your Water Tribe girl more quickly.”**

This time, it was Zuko and the Captain who were exchanging glances. Finally, the Captain scowled and said,

 

**"Fine. But you'd better hope you’re as useful as you claim to be, girly."**

 

Kali met his gaze. This really wasn’t what she’d bargained for when she’d woken up this morning.

* * *

 

Her legs stretched beneath her. What was she running from? And why did those Pirates look so angry?! Who were these people? Were they any better then the Pirates? She started to fall behind, when the strange group got turned around, and ended up cornered. She didn't know what was going to happen to them. But before she could panic, the bald boy pulled a staff from his side, and turned it into some kind of glider. _What good was that?!_ She thought in a panic, but then the others grabbed hold to the bald boy. She too followed suit, though she knew this wouldn't hold them all! But, it seemed she was wrong. They sailed off towards God only knew where, and they were out of sight.

It was amazing looking out over the land beneath them, she had never seen this type of view. Did everything look small from the sky? She looked out over the town, and the water, her curls whipping back and forth as she did. She noticed eventually they were away from town, and starting to descend towards the earth. She wasn't really sure what this meant, but with the relative calm she had shown before, she went down with the others.

As her feet touched down near a river, Masami spied a rather large hairy...thing rolling around in some water, and got a better look at the people. The group was made of three kids around her own age, two of which she assumed to be siblings, they had the same basic features. The girl was taller then Masami, and the male taller still. They were attractive, their attire reminded her a bit of home on Kyoshi in the winter. The other boy though, the one who had flown, she'd never seen someone like him before. She sat on a rock and she watched the siblings angrily exchange words, apparently one of them had stolen something, but the female had a point in mentioning the pirates stole it first. Then she heard one of them mention Water Bending, she could do that! She stood, and she slowly ventured closer. She got closer, and she noticed the little bald one look at her, and smile,

 **"Hi! I'm Aang."** He said, she smiled lightly, and dropped her eyes to the ground,

 **"It's nice to meet you Aang, I'm Masami."** She looked at the other two as they spoke. The siblings seemed to have forgotten they'd picked up a hitchhiker along the way.

 **"I'm Sokka. This is my sister Katara."** The boy said after a moment. Masami nodded to them, and smiled. She looked at the scroll.

 **"Is one of you a water bender?"** She asked curiously. Katara nodded,

 **"I am, do you bend at all?** " She asked with a small smile. Masami nodded,

 **"I bend water a bit. I used to be better then I am now. I am a little afraid of water, so it gets hard sometimes."** A little was an understatement, she was horrified of large bodies of water, but she was a step up from where she had been, that was for sure. She didn't know what to do with herself a few years ago, she could at least stand in the water now. She watched Katara lay the scroll down, and she said,

 **"Well, you're welcome to practice with Aang and I."** She smiled. She was friendly enough. Aang nodded, and Masami agreed.

The group moved towards the water ahead of them, and she swallowed some. She knew this bit of water wouldn't harm her. The water she'd been near in town was much more a struggle for her then this should have been. She squared her shoulders and she walked towards the water tentatively. She glanced at her companions and they seemed to be making waves. She observed for a while, and then decided to try the move herself, but before she could really get into the motion, some angry shouts caught her off guard. She dropped the stance she had set, and she moved as the girl seemed to have gotten upset about something. She glanced at the other in time to see Aang looking rather perplexed.

He moved closer to her as Katara left them and he smiled,

 **“You looked like you were going to do something, will you show me?”** He asked curiously. Part of her wanted to say hew as probably sizing her up but his innocent tone said otherwise in her mind. She nodded, almost stiffly. She shifted her shoulders, and she lifted the water as she lifted a foot. Then she kicked out as she turned, and shot the water in the direction her shoulders faced. She knew the move had brought a little excess movement to it, but she'd gotten it right, or as right as she knew how. She smiled, and looked back at Aang. He seemed impressed.

 **"Show me again!"** He said, smiling at her with big eyes. She smiled lightly and nodded, lifting water, and her leg. She kicked, turned, dropped and tossed the water as she had before. He smiled and laughed and he copied her, out doing her by a long shot. She smiled,

 **"Wow, that was impressive. I wouldn't have guessed you were a Water Bender?"** She asked, watching him continue to out do her. Her tone sounded like a statement but there was an underlying bit of question to it.

 **"No, I'm an Air Bender!"** She nodded, smiling until she realized what he had said. She cocked her head to the side.  
  
 **"An air bender?"** He nodded and smiled. Sokka glanced over,

 **"I suppose Aang being the Avatar slipped our minds to tell you."** She had not only met another water bender, but she had met the AVATAR today!? She needed to sit down. She sank to a rock and she smiled weakly,

**"Well, that explains a lot, I guess.”**

 

* * *

 

Kali was anxious. No, scratch that. Well beyond anxious. Masami was off running around with complete strangers and doing who knows what. Fire Nation soldiers AND pirates were trying to capture the people she was with for reasons unknown. And now she, Kali, was traveling with both the pirates and the Fire Nation. It had been a while since the two of them had gotten into such a big mess.

  
She had successfully tracked the group down to a certain area of forest along a river not far from the seaside village they'd been in. Various eyewitnesses, including that cabbage merchant (who'd apparently had his cabbages crushed by the bald monk), had identified a girl who could only be Masami flying (flying?!) away with the monk and Water Tribe kids in the direction of this river. Once they'd reached the mouth of the river from the sea, they'd discovered that the river actually split into two different rivers. Kali, in order to prove her worth on this mission, had been forced to scout ahead, looking for any sign of people in the area. Thankfully, she hadn’t been completely bluffing when she’d said she was good at tracking people down. After nearly an hour of running along the banks and climbing trees for better views down the first branch, however, she’d found little evidence. It was night at this point, so looking for smoke from a fire didn't help and apparently she wasn't close enough to anyone to see an actual fire. The pirates and especially the fire prince were quite impatient, adding an extra edge of desperation as she searched the second river. Zuko's uncle had fortunately had the foresight to mention that the people in question often traveled using an enormous fluffy, white beast. She soon came across a clump of white fur as well as an entire set of supplies lodged against a log in the river, leading them to follow that branch.

  
She stood leaning against the rail of the ship gazing ahead of them and listening to Prince Zuko and the Captain talk quietly.

 

 **"Shouldn't we search the woods?"** asked the Captain.

 

 **"We don't need to,"** Zuko said flatly, **"They stole a water scroll, right? So they'll be near the water."**

 

Good logic, she supposed. She looked at the Fire Nation ship traveling alongside them and wished she were on the ship with Uncle. He seemed much friendlier than his nephew, which didn't take much. Her gaze drifted to the prince and wondered idly where the scar on his face had come from. She’d heard small snippets about the banished prince of the Fire Nation before, but had never heard more than he was banished, scarred, and a problem. Also, that he had been sent on a quest considered impossible. The quest to find the Avatar. Her eyes widened as it occurred to her that she might just be caught in something even bigger than she’d thought. Word had spread that the Avatar had returned. Could this bald monk be-?

  
Zuko looked back at her abruptly,

**"You're sure they're down this way?"**

 

She nodded,

 

**"Unless they planted that pack of supplies in the river purposely and that tuft of hair, which doesn't seem too likely, they must be down this way."**

 

Or have been down this way, anyway, she thought to herself. She tried not to think about what would happen if they didn't find them here. Then she thought of what might happen if they did find them and felt even worse.

 

Zuko grumbled under his breath and paced the deck restlessly, while the Captain gave her a harsh look and went inside the cabin. A few moments later, Zuko stopped pacing and stared out at the space in front of them. Kali remained leaning against the railing and eyed him. He couldn't be much older than her and was probably about the same height (she was tall for her age). She wondered why he chose such an unflattering hair style. The ponytail looked fine but the rest of his head being shaved gave him a strangely aged and unsettling look, adding to the already uncomfortable feeling she got from looking at his scarred face. Her thoughts went back to his quest.

 

**"So, your highness, what's so important about a little bald kid? The Fire Nation have something against bald monks?"**

 

Zuko looked startled by the sudden question, then scowled at her.

**"That's none of your business."**

 

She stared back passively at him and said,

 

**"Actually, I think it might have become my business since I'm helping you find him. I sincerely doubt you and said monk are buddies and this is all some big game of hide and seek."**

His brow furrowed and he looked away, his scowl deepened. They lapsed back into silence for a few minutes. Then Zuko finally spoke,

 

**"I need him to restore something I've lost."**

 

She felt a tinge of sympathy rise up inside her and looked away. The pit in her stomach grew and it was on this cheerful note that she suddenly heard the unmistakable sounds of someone struggling with waterbending. Splash!

 

**"Grr! Come on, water, work with me here!"**

 

Kali clenched the railing harder as Zuko’s eyes lit up and the ships quickly headed for shore. The reality of the situation set back in. Masami and possibly some innocent people were in danger. And she’d just led it right to them.

 

* * *

 

After a small dinner, Masami had quickly gotten sleepy. She knew she probably shouldn't sleep right around two males she didn't know, but she figured they were harmless. As the group settled in for the night, Masami laid on a pallet made for her by Aang.

 **"Good night Masami!"** He whispered happily. She blushed lightly, thankfully it was dark and he couldn't see it. She whispered back,

 **"Good night Aang, sleep well."** He nodded, and he closed his eyes. She started to close her own, when she saw something fly over her head. She squinted in the darkness as the monkey she'd seen flying around camp landed on Aang, curling up to sleep as well. She smiled at it and she felt her own eyes drift closed. Unbeknownst to the group, Katara slipped off and tried the waterbending forms from earlier but it didn't work for her this time around either. It seemed her temper had yet to dissipate and she was just not going to be able to make this work for her. But, while she thought she was alone practicing she found out that was in fact not the case once she was nabbed by pirates.

Masami felt herself wake quickly as someone screamed and fell beside her. She looked up in time to see Aang getting netted and hauled off. Sokka following him. She pulled herself to her feet, lifting her hands to fight. But, she was caught in a net before she was able to make a stand.

 **"What're you doing?!"** She cried, thrashing around in her net. She was dragged back out of the brush, and she saw Aang, Sokka and Katara bound, and surrounded by a group. Why was this happening?! She cried out lightly as the person holding her net tugged, getting his hand wrapped up in her curls.

 **"Quiet girl."** He growled. She recognized some of the men as pirates from earlier. She heard the others she was with exchanging some words, but she had tuned them out. She twisted as she was taken from her net and bound at the wrists next to her new friends, as she knelt, she saw her new friends struggling to get free, and it gave her an idea. She was able to use her hands more than she thought. She managed to bring some water up from a puddle, and it collided with the man nearest her's face. He squealed lightly and let go of his knife. Masami dropped to her knees and made a grab for the knife as Aang managed to stir up dust, and she got lost in the center of it.

 **"Masami! Sokka!?"** She could hear Aang calling. She coughed again, and she pulled herself up. She didn't know where to run, so she just figured it was in her best interest to get moving.

 **"Aang!"** She blindly ran into a cloud, and she tripped over something, screaming and she fell on a smaller body. She pushed herself up, and she came face to face with Aang. She blushed again, and he smiled. He had already managed to free himself some how, so she turned and dropped the knife she'd gotten from the men so he could free her.

 **"Glad I found you."** He said happily. They pulled themselves up, and he continued to call for Sokka. As they agreed to meet outside the crowd, Aang grabbed her around the waist, pulled her to his side and jumped over the dust, and they crashed on the outside of the group landing to Sokka's left. Getting up, they headed towards Katara, who was trying to move a boat. Masami and Aang joined, making waves that would hopefully push the boat out of the sands holding it in place. As they got the boat into the water, Aang used his bending again so they were able to climb abroad the boat, leaving the scuffle behind, or so Masami hoped.

 

* * *

 

This is ridiculous! thought Kali. She watched the poor Water Tribe girl being taunted by Zuko. Apparently, he'd acquired her mother's necklace at some point and was trying to use it to barter for the monk. Kali felt stupid for having felt bad for him for a moment. Finding the girl unhelpful, Zuko demanded the pirates go search for the others if they wanted their stolen scroll back. He looked at her skeptically, apparently wondering whether he should order her to do so as well.

 

**"Well, you want your sister back, don’t you? Find her!”**

 

Kali looked at the girl, wondering for moment if she should try to help her. Then she remembered the crowd of fire benders standing right across from her and decided she'd better do what he'd suggested. She'd find a way to help get the girl out of this mess later.  
  
The sun was just beginning to come up as she spotted them. She ran to wake them, knowing she had to get her sister and help get their friend back. Just as she was reaching them though, she felt herself tripped and grabbed from behind.

 

 **"Hey!"** she shouted loudly, hoping to wake Masami and her new friends, **"I'm ON YOUR SIDE!!!"**

 

The monk woke and yelled, **_"Sokka, Masami, Katara wake up!!"_** only to be grabbed from behind by another pirate. Kali kicked her own pirate hard in the shins, then started to unsheathe the matching swords she kept by her side, not wanting to use fire-bending in front of so many people. Unfortunately, at that moment, two more pirates joined him and the monk, spotting them and apparently mistaking her for one as well, hit them with a powerful blast of wind. Kali was slammed directly into a tree. By the time she started to get up, the three pirates had her swords and had grabbed her. One held a knife to her throat.

 

**"We don't trust you, girly! After all, your sister's with them!"**

 

Realizing struggle was futile, she let them lead her, along with her oblivious sister (who'd slept through the shouting and fighting) and the monk. She heard the Water Tribe boy shout **"Oh, so I'm not good enough to capture?!"** right before he was captured.  
  
She glowered at Zuko and his firebenders as she and the others were led back. She'd worried about this but it had been a risk she'd needed to take. Now what? Masami was in her own world apparently, still waking up. The Water Tribe boy, whose name was evidently Sokka, was causing problems. He was, as Zuko put it "trying to turn (them) against each other," and it was working very well. The pirates, knowing now that Aang (the monk) was, in fact, the Avatar, intended to keep him and the fire prince was not taking it so well.

 

 **"You'll regret breaking a deal with me!** " he growled, prompting the fire benders to attack. The pirates flung themselves into the fight, using smoke bombs just as Aang kicked up a huge cloud of dust. Suddenly she could barely see anything. Kali took advantage of the confusion and tripped the pirate holding her, who had fortunately lowered his knife out of distraction. She bolted into the cloud of smoke and dust, looking for the pirate with her swords. As she did so, she heard Masami shout and shifted to trying to find her amid the assorted weapons and fire. Just as she had neared the place where she could hear her sister, she was elbowed in the face by a small figure and then tripped over by her sister, whom she recognized from the scream. She heard Masami and Aang both say something and reached over to grab them both, leading to someone else stumbling over her arm while she was simultaneously kicked in the stomach. She groaned aloud. This was just not her day.

 

Reaching again for her sister and finding her gone, she crawled out of the cloud and found, to her delight, her swords. Picking them up, she immediately brandished them as Fruity Lips came flying out of the smoke towards her. He cackled at her, evidently not expecting her to be able to do much, and lunged but she parried then knocked him back into the cloud. Meanwhile, Zuko had popped out of the smoke next to her and in the next moment, she whipped out of the way as the Captain's sword appeared. She jumped out of the way as the two locked into combat then started as Uncle appeared beside her and grabbed both Zuko and the Captain, stopping their fight.

 

**"Are you too busy fighting to see your own ship has set sail?!"**

 

Zuko yelled, " **We have no time for your proverbs, Uncle!!"**

 

Kali looked over at the ships.

 

 **"It's no proverb!"** she and Uncle said in unison. Sokka, Masami, Aang, and Katara had stolen the pirates' ship.

 

 **"Bleeding hog-monkeys!"** shouted the Captain, running down the beach after them. Zuko laughed, to Kali’s surprise (she had assumed he had no sense of humor), and then looked startled as the pirates taunted him from his own boat.

 

 **"Hey! That's my boat!"** he yelled and started to run also.

 

 **"Maybe it should be a proverb,"** Uncle mused.

 

 **"C'mon, Uncle!"** Zuko shouted. Kali turned to the older man,

 

**"With all due respect, sir, I think it should definitely be a proverb."**

* * *

 

Sokka, driving the boat laughed at the misfortune of the scar faced boy on the shore. It seemed they knew him, and there was a lot Masami didn't know about this little group. Masami stepped up to the top of the boat, near where Sokka was steering, and she didn't want to laugh, but she did. But her demeanor shifted as she then spied her sister on shore with the unfortunate looking boy. Before she could get too far away, she began to jump up and down, waving her arms frantically.

 **"KALI! WHAT'RE YOU DOING?!"** She ran towards the edge of the boat, and she jumped up and down again, partly to be able to see over the railing, partly to be seen. She didn't know if Kali could see her, but she hoped she could. She looked at the others, questions written on her face.

 **"Whose that boy with her? Who are these people?!"** She asked as they were being pursued. She finally felt anxiety beginning to set in. Masami began to pace lightly, Aang approached her, grabbing her elbow gently,

 **"They're Fire Nation soldiers, and they're after me. Who were you yelling at?"** He asked curiously, not seeming nearly as worried about this as he should be.

 **"She's my sister...I don't know how she ended up with them, I don't feel right about that boy with the scar."** She jumped as Sokka yelled from the front of the ship,

 **"I hate to break up this conversation, but we're in trouble!"** He glanced over his shoulder as he spoke. They were about to go over a waterfall. She felt more panicked then before. Katara outed the idea of trying to work together to make the water hold them up from going over the falls but how long would it work, if at all? Standing on the front of the ship, Aang, Katara and Masami were able to keep themselves sort of level for a time, but the ship's back end was becoming too much for the inexperienced group.  
  
 **"I'm a little bit scared, I'm not going to lie about that."** Masami admitted, nervously looking back and forth from the other Benders and Sokka to the falls. Aang smiled,

 **"Don't worry, we'll be okay and you'll get back to your sister, I promise."** His promise had nothing to back it up, but it was enough to sooth her rattled nerves. She nodded and smiled, until they saw a ship coming towards them, and there was no indication the other ship would be able to slow down, let alone stop. No sooner had the thoughts left her head that the ships collided, and everyone was sent flying, Masami was beginning to panic again, and she said a silent prayer for the first time in a long time that she, Aang, her sister, and everyone else somehow involved in this Madness would make it through alright.

 

* * *

 

Kali lost her cool as she watched Zuko's boat plow into the boat her sister was in and watched both go over the waterfall. She screamed **"MASAMIIIII!!!"** and, having outrun Zuko and the pirate captain, reached the edge just in time to see her sister and the other three saved by what appeared to be a giant flying bison. She stared at them as they flew off. First, relief washed over her as she saw that her sister was safe, then a mixture of sadness, annoyance, and disappointment. How had her sister just flown off with strangers and left her behind again?

 

Zuko reached her and looked down at his destroyed boat in dismay,

 

**"My boat!!"**

 

Uncle came a moment later, huffing and puffing from the effort of running. For a moment, Zuko stared down at his ruined boat, also huffing and puffing, but from anger rather than fatigue, while Kali stared up into the sky after the flying bison. Then Uncle giggled abruptly and said,

 

**"Prince Zuko, you're really going to get a kick out of this. The lotus tile was in my sleeve the WHOLE TIME!!!"**

 

He withdrew from his sleeve a lotus tile (the kind they use to play Pai Sho) and jubilantly smiled as he held it up for all to see. Zuko did not get a kick out of it, snatching the tile and throwing it fiercely out over the waterfall. Kali noticed, to her slight amusement, that it landed perfectly on top of Fruity Lips's drenched head. The amusement however, was only momentary.

  
She collected herself and turned to the two fire-benders beside her.

 

 **"You'll be going after them again, then?"** she stared intensely into Zuko's angry eyes.

 

 **"Immediately,"** he replied in a low, menacing voice. She lowered her voice to match his tone.

 

**"Then I want to come with you."**

 

 **"What?!"** he asked sharply, clearly taken aback.

 

**"Obviously, you've tracked them down before and you'll do it again. I want in on it. My sister's with them and where she goes, I go. Catching them on foot would be almost impossible for me. You have a ship, a crew, and, from what I understand, a team of rhinos. I don't want money, I'll do any tasks you ask me to do, and all I ask is that you give me a ride on your ship to find my sister...and provide me with food and water like you would the rest of your crew."**

 

Zuko glared at her.

 

 **"What makes you think I would want you on my crew?"** he demanded. Now was not the time to be modest.

 

**"Whether you want me or not, you've got me. I learn fast. I’ll pick up any tasks your crewmen can throw at me. I'm talented with swords. I can cook pretty well..."**

 

 **"Did you say cook?!"** Uncle asked excitedly, **"As a matter of fact, we just lost our cook recently. We'd love to have a new cook!"**

 

Zuko turned to glare at him,

 

**"Uncle, we'll be fine without our cook! The crew can cook the meals. We don't need a new one."**

 

Uncle gave him a sideways glance.

 

**“Have you tasted Lt. Jee's cooking? He may be a fine man and a good lieutenant but he knows nothing of how to properly prepare roast duck! What harm would it do in letting her come with us? Besides, you owe her for helping us find the Avatar this time. We might not have even caught up with him in time without her help."**

 

Zuko groaned, irritated, and then looked back at her.

 

**"Fine. You can come, but you'd better be a good cook and follow orders. Understand?"**

 

She glared back at him and nodded,

 

**"Understood...Prince Zuko."**

He stormed off. Iroh watched him walk off then turned to look at her, **"I am sorry for my nephew's rude behavior. He has been through a lot and consequently has developed a very bad attitude."**

 

He paused, then said excitedly,

 

**"So what will you cook first? We have lots of supplies!"**

After going over the waterfall, the group had been saved by the large flying thing she'd seen rolling in the water. As they sailed off into the sky, Masami again couldn't believe the view from the sky. It was nothing like she'd ever seen before. As she looked over the side of the creatures saddle, she felt a presence at her side. She looked up in time to see Aang coming to sit next to her. She smiled,

 **“Is this always how you guys get around?”** She asked curiously. She saw that Katara was sleeping on their stuff and Sokka was steering the creature. She assumed to give Aang a break. He nodded, crossing his legs as he sat next to her.

 **“Usually, it's easier to get around up here then it is on the ground.”** He rolled his shoulders as he sat. He appeared stiff, which made sense since he'd been sitting atop the animals head all day.

 **“I..don't think I've ever seen one of these, what is he?”** She ran her hand through the fluff over the side of the saddle.

 **“This is Appa, he's my Bison.”** Aang announced proudly. **“He's a Sky Bison. I don't think they are really around anymore. “** He added, his voice taking a sad tone. It hadn't really occurred to her that he was an Airbender, she knew what happened to them all. And by the look on his face he knew too. She cocked her head to the side,

 **“I don't mean to pry, but I can see you are the Avatar but where...did you go? There aren't Airbenders anymore.”** She was certain he knew that, so she wasn't really as careful speaking about it as she could have been. But she was curious, she'd never met someone so important before.

 **“I got lost in a storm, and I sorta froze myself. That's where Sokka and Katara found me. And Appa, together. And I was there for a long time, and I couldn't help my people.”** He answered, dropping his eyes. She looked at her hands, **“You're here now though, that has to count for something.”** She tried to add, maybe to help some. He shrugged,

 **“I guess.”** He sounded sad still. She tentatively reached her hand out, touching his knee lightly.

 **“You saved my life and you didn't have to, so I appreciate it. Even if that doesn't count for much.”** She said with a small smile. He looked up and he smiled, the smile she was more used to seeing on his face.

 **“It does count, and you're welcome.”** He said with a happier tone. He yawned, and she told him to sleep. He nodded, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand in a very childlike manner. She found it endearing. He could have gone to sleep on the packs that would have been more comfortable, but he didn't. He curled up by her, his head lulling to the side as he slept and nearly resting on her leg. She looked down as she felt his head press against her, and she smiled. She moved her hand to rest on his shoulder for a moment, brushing the side of his outfit back down out of his face.


	2. Fire Nation shoes?

Kali mopped her way down the dark, red lit corridor. She was accustomed to working odd jobs in the different villages she and Masami wandered through, but it had been a while since she'd been kept this busy this consistently. She couldn't decide if the asshat, bastard, cranky jerkface (she was trying to restrain herself from calling the prince too terrible of names for fear she might speak them aloud one day) kept her this busy just out of spite or because he didn't want her snooping around his ship. Probably a combination (although it hardly prevented her snooping, since her work essentially required her to go everywhere, including the crew and prince's rooms). Thankfully, Uncle absolutely loved her cooking and the rest of the crew seemed to enjoy it as well. Many even seemed relieved to have a steady cook once more. Zuko, of course, didn't really express an opinion when it came to her cooking, which was good as far as she was concerned.

She worked her way into the main cabin where the helmsman was doing his job, a few members of the crew were playing Pai Sho against Uncle, and Zuko was glowering. As she mopped around the table the crew sat at, she made a strange connection in her head.

" **Fire Nation shoes look just like Fire Nation ships."**

It took her a moment to register that she'd said this aloud. She was, after all, very tired, which was probably why she'd unwittingly lowered her guard. She'd tried to keep relatively quiet during her time with Zuko's crew, speaking just enough to establish a friendly and polite persona with the crew in hopes that they might not be too anxious to get rid of her. The crew stopped their game to stare at her now, their looks a mix of confusion and surprise. Even the helmsman turned to look at her. Zuko took a quick break from his glowering to make a face at her like she was an idiot. Then Uncle laughed.

**"Ba ha ha! You're right! I'd never even thought of that! Our ships DO look a lot like our shoes."**

Kali felt a wave of relief sweep over her as everyone resumed their previous positions and stopped staring at her. She hastened to finish mopping in the room. She actually liked the crew a lot. Total, there were five regular soldiers and four fire-benders (aside from Zuko and Uncle) aboard the ship who doubled as the crew.

There was Lieutenant Jee, the tall fire-bending senior officer in charge (after Zuko and Uncle, of course). So far, he'd been polite enough to her, which was more than could be said for a lot of people she'd met in her travels.

Salvatore, or Sal as the others all called him, was also a fire-bender and seemed relatively young but clearly experienced (a long thin scar on his right arm and a few thick cuts on his left shoulder seemed to confirm that). He spoke very seldom so she knew little more of him than what was visible.

There was Hadji, a small, wiry man missing several teeth who looked like he'd fit in well with the pirate crew. In contrast to Sal, Hadji could barely restrain himself from speaking constantly and since Kali was the only person on the crew whom he outranked, he often spent his time (when he wasn't doing his job) in the kitchen telling her a myriad of stories.

Then there was Balbo, a seemingly perpetual optimist who was slightly chubby, and bald on top with a long white beard. He was a soldier and had actually been under Iroh (Zuko's uncle) back when he was a general leading the siege on Ba Sing Se. Kali often burned to question him about Uncle's military past and Ba Sing Se, but she was still trying to keep a relatively low profile on the ship.

The two other firebenders, aside from Jee and Sal, were brothers who were definitely new to this, named Garron and Obi. Garron could be a bit of a problem, as he loved to play pranks on his underlings. His sense of humor, however inconvenient it could be for her, was a great relief in contrast with the otherwise glum atmosphere of the ship (due primarily to the shabby state of the old ship and the driving, abrasive behavior of the prince in charge of it). Obi, in contrast to his brother, was soft-spoken and seemed far too tender-hearted to be a real soldier. He'd even managed to sneak a stray cat he'd found in the rain one day into the ship. She, Garron, and Hadji knew about it, but everyone else seemed mystified by the strange sounds they sometimes heard randomly around the ship (except for Uncle, who probably knew about the cat but insisted it was just the old pipes of the ship causing all the noise).

The helmsman, Garrow (not to be confused with Garron), was an older man who spent virtually all his time behind the wheel of the ship, which Kali imagined might be even more exhausting than her own job. At least she got some variety in her work. Garrow didn't speak much normally but occasionally shared some interesting conversations with Kali when it was just the two of them in the room. She suspected it was rather lonely at the helm.

Then there was Kahn, a soldier who'd taken a heavy blow to the head from an Earth soldier's hammer at some point. The trauma to his head had made him unpredictable, easily confused, and sometimes very ill-tempered. One of the random tasks Zuko often assigned Kali was to help keep Kahn out of trouble.

Lastly, there was Adar, who was probably only a couple of years older than herself and Zuko. He was impulsive and moody, but to a much, much lesser degree than Zuko (especially since he couldn't afford to act out too much when around the prince). When she'd asked, he'd said that when he'd joined the military, he'd hoped to be doing something more exciting and rewarding than constantly riding around on a ship, getting seasick, and failing to capture the Avatar.

As a general rule, Zuko's crew was a motley one, composed primarily of people who were either older and worn from previous duties, very inexperienced, or potential problem causers. They had been good to Kali so far, though, as had Uncle, welcoming her into the crew with very little protest in spite of the fact she wasn't a Fire Nation citizen, seaman, or soldier. They acted politely towards her as a general rule (some even seemed to treat her as one of their own as this point) and seemed to genuinely appreciate what help she had to offer. Uncle especially seemed to be fond of her, occasionally delaying her work with an engaging conversation. Only Zuko seemed stubborn to treat her as inferior and unnecessary. But then, everyone got treated as inferior by Zuko.

* * *

The group decided on a place to land, a dense forest they found that seemed as thought it would provide ample cover to conceal Appa so they could all rest. As they dismounted, Aang taught Masami a little about how the saddle they kept on Appa worked while the siblings set up a small camp. As Aang lifted the saddle off to the side with Airbending, Masami marveled at how different the places they were seeing were from what she was used to. Her home had been Kyoshi Island, and no where she'd seen outside of the town she'd met these kids in had been like that. The world was a vastly more beautiful place then she had given it credit for, she wondered if Kali was seeing some of the same things she was. She hoped so.

As they settled down to have some relax time, the little white monkey skittered off after a bug. Aang turned as he noticed the creature never came back.

" **Where's Momo?"** He asked. Sokka, Masami and Katara shrugged. They soon heard evidence of the animals distress echoing throughout the trees. They ran in the direction of the cries and came to a group of baskets hanging high in the trees. Traps, by the look of it.

" **Hang on, Momo!"** Aang cried as he leaped most of the trunk of the tree. He held onto the pulley that had taken the monkey into the tree and lowered the basket down so the others could free him. After seeing a hole, the creature hopped out of the basket, clutching the bug he'd caught for himself. Aang lowered himself to the ground only to take off again after the two trapped apes still in the tree.

" **Alright, you guys too."** He said as he started to free them.

" **This is going to take forever."** Sokka added, raising his boomerang. He tossed it, cut the ropes and sent the baskets crashing to the earth. Masami winced, but the animals seemed unphased. They skittered off back into the trees. Aang slide down the trunk of the tree, approaching the traps that Sokka had knocked down. Upon closer inspection, Masami realized they weren't baskets at all; they were made of metal.

" **These are Fire Nation traps, you can tell by the metal work."** Masami looked closer, she hadn't really ever had run ins with people from the Fire Nation, so all of this was new to her. **"We better pack up camp, and get moving."** Sokka said, his tone rather ominous. They moved back towards Appa, and started to pack the bison.

" **Uh-huh. No flying this time."** Sokka said, taking a bag from his sister.

" **What? Why wouldn't we fly?"** Aang questioned, his brow furrowed.

" **Think about it, some how Prince Zuko and the Fire Nation keep finding us. It's because they spot Appa, he's just too noticeable."** Sokka reasoned. He made a valid point.

" **What? Appa's not too noticeable!"** Katara countered.

" **He's a gigantic fluffy monster with an arrow on his head! It's kinda hard to miss him!"** Sokka shot back. Masami was more or less with Sokka on this one, but she kept herself out of it. She hadn't been here long enough to have an opinion. Appa opened his mouth for the first time, making a rather angry sort of noise. Masami shuffled backwards a little. Aang patted the Bison's head, **"Sokka's just jealous cuz he doesn't have an arrow."** Aang assured him.

" **I know you all wanna fly, but my instincts tell me we should play it safe this time and we should walk."** Sokka tried again, cooling his temper some.

" **Who made you the boss?"** Katara snorted. Masami swallowed, she hoped this wasn't another fight. She didn't really care for fighting. She decided that maybe she could prevent one if she tried to make a point,

" **I think Sokka's right, if they're looking for us like he thinks then they will probably be looking for Appa, right?"** She asked. She kept her shoulders low so her body language didn't seem like she was trying to pull rank or make herself out to be right. She was just trying to help. Her adage seemed to fall on deaf ears as the siblings continued to bicker about the validity of Sokka being in charge.

" **If anyone is the leader, it's Aang. I mean, he is the Avatar."** Katara said, looking up at Aang with an expression that made Masami's stomach tighten, why was that? Jealousy was an ugly thing, apparently. But she wasn't jealous, nope. Not her. Though, despite the look on Katara's face, Aang seemed oblivious. He pushed the Leader comment off with a shrug while he hung upside down from the horn of his bison. Masami smiled lightly at him, and he swung off, landing with a flourish in front of her once he saw her looking. His face held a smile, and he seemed to wonder if she was impressed or not. She rolled her bottom lip between her teeth as he seemed to be showing off, and she ducked her head. He might not have noticed the last few times she did this, but there was no way he missed that. He moved closer to her as the siblings kept fighting,

" **Are they always like this?"** Masami questioned as she picked her head up.

" **It's been worse the last few days."** Aang admitted, it seemed he didn't know what to do anymore than she did.

" **Okay, we'll try it _your way,_ oh wise leader!"** Katara finally said, Aang slipped a bag over his shoulders, and handed Masami hers.

" **Who knows, walking might be fun!"** He said to the group. Masami nodded, keeping her head low still. She wasn't sure about this, but who was she to knock something before she tried it? She and Kali walked everywhere before this, this wasn't so different.

* * *

Kali looked around uncertainly, then walked into the room. She hadn't actually mopped in here before because the last time she'd been mopping he'd been in here and yelled at her for breaking his concentration with her knocking. She knew he wasn't here this time though and it was one of the last places she had left to mop today.

Zuko's room was about half the size as the room which housed the entire crew's beds. Its decorations were a bit more elaborate though. To one side sat a little desk with candles on it, which she knew he used for meditating purposes (which she found to be a big ridiculous, considering he was probably the least tranquil person she'd ever met). Above it hung a beautifully carved dragon face. On the opposite wall from her, a shield with dual swords not unlike her own hung. To her left, his bed sat with a huge fire nation emblem draped above it.

She glanced behind her and went back to mopping. She had a feeling her ears would be ringing for days if he discovered her in here, but he had told her to mop the WHOLE ship. Eventually curiosity got the better of her and she looked back at the swords, curious to compare them to her own (which had been confiscated on Zuko's orders when she'd first joined the crew). She had just begun to examine them when she heard footsteps coming down the corridor. She grabbed her mop and acted as if she hadn't finished. Good thing he had the tendency to stomp everywhere he went.

 **"What are you doing in here?"** growled Zuko, standing in the doorway. She looked down at the mop, which seemed like it should be the one to offer the explanation, then said, **"I'm finishing mopping. Yours was one of the last rooms I had left, and since you were in the main cabin, I knew I didn't have to worry about interrupting your concentration this time..."** she paused, " **Prince Zuko."**

Addressing someone like that all the time, so formally, was really annoying. Especially when it was him.

 **"Well, now that you're done, get out!"** He started to step in. Too late she tried to warn him it was still slippery. Bam! He slipped and fell, landing hard on his back. She looked down at him awkwardly, then decided she'd better at least offer to help him up. She held out her hand to him and, of course, he refused it and began to get up on his own, only to start slipping again. She grabbed his arm to help hold him upright, but his own weight combined with his armor pulled her off balance too and they fell in a loud clatter of armor, mop, bucket, and bodies to the floor. The bucket flipped over, spilling water all over her butt and around them. She looked down at his indignant face and said weakly,

**"Maybe you should let me dry the floor first...your highness…"**

* * *

Walking turned into not being a great idea apparently. The group got more and more fed up, but the good thing about walking was it gave the group a little more time to get to know each other. Masami spent most of the time walking with Katara. She found out she and her brother were from the Southern Water Tribe, and that she was the youngest and had been the last Bender in her home. The Fire Nation killed their mother, and they found Aang in an iceberg. She sort of knew that last part but not completely. She learned the unfortunate looking boy was actually a Prince, and his name was Zuko. She also told her about where they had been before this. They were heading towards the North Pole, and that was just about the time Aang started to complain about being tired.

" **I'm tired of carrying this pack."** Aang groused, pouting.

" **You know who you should ask to carry it for a while? Sokka's instincts!"** Katara responded, with a snarky tone.

" **That's a great idea! Hey! Sokka's instincts, would you mind-?"** Aang's retort was cut off by Sokka.

" **Okay, okay. Look, I get it. I'm tired too, but the important thing is is that we're safe from the Fire Nation..."** He trailed off as they cleared through a bit of brush, and walked right into a Fire Nation camp.

" **Run!"** Sokka cried, throwing their things on the ground so they could move. Momo flew off Aang's shoulders as they shrugged off their packs. Masami scrambled to untangle herself from her bag in time to keep up with the group. She scrambled after Katara, and skidded to a stop as the group stopped short of being set on fire by one of the Benders in the camp. Sokka's shirt didn't escape the blaze though. Katara extinguished the flames, and the group all took up stances to fight as they were surrounded. Masami was quickly learning that this did in fact happen to them a lot. Maybe she never should have split off from Kali to go look at the pirate ship.

Sokka stepped in front of the group, and tried to lie his way out of them getting hurt. She admired his courage, though she wasn't optimistic it would work. But from the sound of his "bluffing" comment, neither was he. As the assumed leader of the group started for them, he was brought to his knees by some unseen force.

" **Great work, Sokka! How'd you do that?!"** Aang cheered. Before the group could really do anything, more soldiers were taken out by a boy who came from the trees above. Wielding what looked like swords but with some sort of curve, he threw two soldiers into each other, and tossed them into the pile of growing bodies before him. As soon as he'd appeared, more of them did the same. They came from the trees shooting arrows, throwing knives and using their weight to their advantage as they ambushed the troop.

As the others defended them, Aang moved and started to make the soldiers around them join the pile of bodies. Katara followed suit, and Sokka drew his boomerang. Masami hesitated only for a moment, before she brought up water from her own canteen to help Katara, she was thankful Katara had shared this idea with her, she hadn't thought of it before. She used the whip technique she had practiced with Aang a few days prior, moving her feet and arms to dispel a soldier on her own. It was only one, but it was still more than standing around and fretting. She noticed as she pulled herself up that she had managed to use less movement in the move and it felt more natural to her. That was a good thing, she was pretty sure.

As the fight drew to what felt like an abrupt stop, the boy with the curved swords made a move towards herself and Katara.

" **Hey."** He said with a smirk, and a composed pose, as if he hadn't just taken out many soldiers on his own. Masami returned her water to the canteen, and she pulled herself up as Aang joined them.

" **You just took out a whole Army!"** He mused, his voice impressed. Sokka scoffed, apparently not impressed. The boy continued, despite Sokka's outburst.

" **My name is Jet, and these are my Freedom Fighters."** He tossed his hair a little, Katara seemed entranced. Masami was unsure, Aang was impressed and Sokka was not.

After further introductions, Jet's group moved around and started to loot the camp. Masami stood off to the side, unsure of how she felt about all this. Sokka was making no moves to talk to the group, while Katara was moving off to talk to Jet privately. Masami kicked dirt around, looking from those she knew to the group she didn't. Every so often, she stepped aside so someone could get by but she remained silent. Before she knew what was happening, the creature named Momo sailed from behind her and took perch on her head. She glanced up at him, while he looked down over her bangs at her. His feet felt strange on her head, his eyes peered at her from an upside down angle, she smiled lightly, and he made a strange clicking sound she'd heard him make at Aang. He pulled himself back up, but kept himself on her head. She felt accepted, oddly enough.

As the group started to collect their finds to leave, they offered the group a place to stay. Katara spoke for all of them, and soon enough they were off walking again. They didn't go far till they came to an opening in the trees.

" **Here we are."** Jet said, Sokka looked skeptical.

" **There's nothing here."** He said, crossing his arms. Jet offered him a small rope made into a loop. Sokka took it, and soon was sent flying into the trees. Masami made an alarmed expression, and as the rope came back he offered it to her. She looked at Aang, then to Katara, and pulled the ape from her head so she would have something to do with her hands. Aang seemed to sense her distress,

" **I'll take her up with me."** He said happily, offering his hand to Masami. Masami smiled, releasing the lemur from her grasp. Momo flew up before them, and Aang pulled Masami to his side with the hand she held. He wrapped his arm around her waist, and soon they were sailing up into the trees.

* * *

She worked especially hard on dinner that night. She wanted it to be great. Awesome. Stupendous even. Not that Zuko would notice, but she figured that it wouldn't hurt to please Uncle even more than usual. She had decided to make roast duck (one of his favorites) and to brew gin seng tea (his favorite kind). He'd actually taught her one day some secrets to making exceptionally tasty tea (he ought to know, since he was, without question, a complete tea addict). Zuko's mood was even fouler than usual due to their little spill in his room earlier. Some support from his crew and especially his uncle would be nice, just in case he was planning on dropping her off at the next port or (she shuddered) throwing her over the side of the ship.

She carefully walked into Uncle's cabin. Since Zuko'd decided to spend the rest of the day sulking in his cabin, Uncle (or General Iroh, as she'd learned to call him) was taking his meal in his room. He greeted her with his usual smile,

 **"Ahh! Excellent! My favorites! Gin seng tea and roast duck! Is there an occasion I was unaware of?"** he looked up at her, his smile widening. She smiled back,

**"Nothing special, General Iroh. It's just nice to have someone who appreciates my cooking so much. Masami always seemed to like it fine, but she was never a really big eater."**

She set it down on the little table in front of him and started to leave.

 **"I am sure your sister is doing well,"** he said abruptly and she turned, surprised. **"The Avatar and his friends do not strike me as unkind people. In fact, from what we've seen of them, I'd venture to say they're quite nice really, at least when they're not being attacked."**

She nodded slightly and glanced down. She hoped he was right. They'd seemed alright but that had been in the middle of a battle between pirates, fire-benders, and kids so she'd been a little distracted at the time. She looked back up at him and smiled slightly,

 **"Thank you,"** she hesitated, **"I just hope we find them soon. I miss her a lot."**

He nodded and gave her a kind look,

**"I do not doubt we will locate them soon. Prince Zuko is very persistent in his quest and we already know that we are catching up to them, based on reported sitings."**

Kali pondered what she would do once they found her sister. On the one hand, she would, of course, immediately reunite with her sister but after that, what then? The prince and his crew would be working to capture the people whom Masami appeared to have made friends with. Naturally, Masami would want to help them and so would Kali. She had very clearly stated her position when joining the crew. But, in spite of her efforts to keep from becoming too integrated into the crew, it was becoming harder not to care about them at least a little now that she'd spent a couple of weeks working alongside them almost constantly. They weren't just spike-topped masks and spears anymore. She frowned down at the roast duck as she carried it to Zuko's room. Stopping outside his door, she paused, then tentatively knocked.

" **What is it?"**

" **Dinner."**

" **Leave it outside and go."**

She scowled. At least there was one person on this ship she could count on having an easy time not caring about.

* * *

Aang seemed right at home among the trees once they reached the top, and into the village the kids had made for themselves. Masami would admit it was gorgeous up here, but getting close to the edge didn't sit well with her. As the group was moved to their temporary housing, she sat against the the window, looking outside as Aang buzzed around on zip-lines with Momo. She smiled, moving herself out of the cover of the house to go sit next to the Bison outside. If she was going to be traveling with the group, she wanted to get to know all the parts of it.

" **Hi, Appa."** She said gently, as she approached the large creature. He opened his mouth, and made a deep gurgling sound, but it wasn't threatening. He looked at her as she approached him, and he swiveled his large head around to press against her lightly. She smiled, and stroked his head. As his nudge ended, he went back to eating, and allowed her to sit next to him while he did so. As she sat, enjoying the quiet, she didn't hear Aang land near her.

" **Appa likes you!"** He announced suddenly, startling her. She sat straight up, but relaxed once she saw who it was.

" **Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."** He said with a smile as he sank to the ground near her. As they chatted amongst themselves, Sokka climbed the ladder and sank down beside them.

" **Katara said we have to go to dinner, but I don't want to."** He groused, pulling his knees up and resting his chin there.

" **We get food though, that's good right?"** Aang tried, Sokka made a noncommittal noise, and they started down the ladders for food. Masami noticed Aang must have still seen apprehension in her, because his hand never left her back as he helped her off each ladder.

As they sat down at the head of the table, they listened as Jet gave a speech. It seemed they were no fonder of the Fire Nation then their group was. Masami twiddled her thumbs lightly, Aang catching onto it as Jet spoke,

" **What's wrong?"** He whispered, she looked at him, shaking her head for a moment before she decided to speak.

" **My sister's a firebender."** She said after a moment. Aang seemed surprised,

" **But you're a waterbender."** She nodded,

" **And our father was an earthbender. He fathered Kali while he was a soldier occupying a fire nation prison, so she's a firebender."** She admitted, scratching her thumb.

" **But, she's still your sister, so that's what counts."** He smiled, and she returned it, they looked up as Jet came to sit down. Katara slide closer to Jet and they started to talk quietly. Sokka blew up at his sister, announced they were leaving, and started off towards the ladders. Jet countered his attentions with the promise of taking Sokka on a mission the next morning, so Sokka permitted them to stay.

As the group retired to their room back in the highest tree, Aang and Masami were the first ones in the room, Sokka and Katara were exchanging words over by Appa. The room had a bed, and two hammocks hanging from the ceiling, Masami eyed them, tugging on one to make it unfurl. As she let go, it rolled up again. She wasn't sure how you were supposed to sleep in that, but before she could say anything, Sokka tore into the room, unintentionally knocked her out of the way and got in the hammock. She pulled her hand back to her side. Aang made a face at Sokka's back, but said nothing. Katara came in, and sank into the other one, turning herself to the wall. Aang and Masami looked at each other, and then at the bed. He motioned towards it,

" **You take it, I can sleep on Appa."** He said with a smile, she considered for a moment,

" **It's plenty of space, you don't have to sleep out there if you don't want to."** She said as she moved towards the right side. She took off her shoes, and she pulled the blankets back. He seemed to be considering as well, but he didn't go outside, he moved to the left and sank into the bed behind her. She laid on her side, facing the window.

" **Goodnight, Aang."** She said quietly. She felt movement as he shifted on the bed, **"Goodnight, Masami!"** He echoed, rolling once more before the movement ceased. The next morning she woke when sun started to filter through the windows. She made a move to get up, but there was a weight on her back. She looked over her shoulder to see Aang's head buried in her shoulders and his arms over her side. As she stirred though, she seemed to wake him up too. He blinked a few times, and then realized what he was doing. He blushed, and sluggishly pulled himself away.

" **Sorry."** He said with a glance at his hands, and a sheepish expression.

" **Don't be, you weren't bothering me."** She said with a smile, truth be told that was the best she'd slept in a while.

As the day progressed, she spent time with Aang and Appa mostly. Katara was here and there, helping around the camp and being productive. Sokka was with Jet, running a mission for food. They went into a nearby town and took some food from a rather wealthy man who refused to help anyone but himself. Masami wasn't about stealing, but this didn't bother her overmuch. The next day was spent much the same way. Katara helping the group, Masami and Aang flying around on the zip-lines she'd learned to not be scared of, and Sokka with Jet getting supplies for his group.

* * *

Having finished the tasks for the day FINALLY, Kali collapsed on her bunk, only to find herself restless. For a while she gazed at the soft red light emanating from the open doorway and listened to the sounds of the mostly sleeping crew. This wasn't her first sleepless night aboard the ship. Even after getting over her initial seasickness, she'd had difficulty sleeping. Always she'd stayed in her bunk anyway, concerned she'd meet with trouble if she ventured out at an unacceptable hour. This, time she decided to walk it off and slipped out the doorway quietly. So long as she didn't act suspicious, what harm could there be in a little stroll to the deck?

She padded softly down the long corridor. She paused briefly as she walked up the stairs and encountered Obi, who put a finger to his lips. He had been cuddling his ginger kitten, whom he'd named Fireball, but had hastily tried to hide him in his night clothes upon hearing someone coming. The kitten popped its head out of his shirt to look at her. She continued on until she came to Zuko's room. The dinner plate had been left untouched, the tea undrunk, and, to her surprise, the door stood ajar slightly. She glanced inside. He wasn't there. She looked down at the food, then glanced up and down the hallway. Picking it up, she used a small amount of firebending quickly to heat it back up (which felt refreshing, since she hadn't had a secure moment to practice since the day Masami'd joined the Avatar), then placed it on the desk inside his room. Even jerkfaces needed to eat.

Having finished her tour of the Shoeboat, as she was now calling it in her head, she headed up to the main cabin to see how Garrow was holding up. She supposed he must be exhausted at this point and swung by the kitchen to fix him a quick drink. She was surprised, therefore, to find Garrow missing upon reaching the cabin. In his place, Zuko leaned against the wheel. He seemed too preoccupied to notice her quiet entrance, his attention focused intently on the course that lay in front of him. He also seemed to be holding a conversation with himself (either that or some invisible entity present in the room). She stood just inside the doorway, unsure of what to do exactly and listened.

* * *

One morning a week or so after they ended up in the trees, Katara grabbed Masami's elbow while she was helping Aang brush Appa.

" **Can I talk to you for a second?"** She asked. Masami cocked her head to the side, and she nodded. Tossing the brush back up to Aang, she started to walk with Katara.

" **Can I be honest with you?"** Katara asked, tentatively. Masami nodded, she considered her a friend, she wanted her to be honest. Katara hesitated,

" **I...don't think I want to be part of the group anymore."** She sighed, **"I know it sounds dumb, and I know I promised Aang I would help him learn waterbending, but then we found you. And Aang really seems to like you. And you're a waterbender too! Then we met Jet, and I feel like I found something else that matters to me."** She was talking fast and it was a bit jumbled as she seemed to be talking faster then she was thinking, but Masami assumed she knew where she was headed.

" **I just don't know how to tell Aang and Sokka. Do you think they will be mad?"** Katara's brow was furrowed, Masami wasn't sure what to say but she tried anyhow.

" **I think they will be upset, but I think Sokka has come around to Jet. He speaks pretty well of him now, since he sees how they do things here. And I know you're made a difference here. The kids seem to really like you, and I think that helps Jet out a lot. And, Aang..well I think he'll be sad but I think he would understand too, he's reasonable."** She didn't want to say the wrong things but she was honest. Katara was making a difference here, and Jet had a lot of people to take care of. She figured if she wanted to stay here and help Jet then the boys would see where Katara was coming from. Katara nodded, and they continued their walk along the pathways above the trees.

Katara broached the subject with Sokka while they were all in their room that night.

" **I think it would be better, Sokka. We aren't getting along, and it's slowing the group down. You see how good Jet is here, and I'm a big help! He wants me to stay, and I want to stay."** She said, crossing her arms.

" **What about teaching Aang to waterbend and going to the North Pole?!"** Sokka argued.

" **He has Masami now, he doesn't need me!"** She shot back, turning her head.

" **We don't even know if she's planning on staying with us!"** Sokka cried, Katara looked at Masami with a question in her eyes.

" **I do plan to stay."** She said with an awkward smile, and an equally awkward tone. Sokka didn't seem impressed, and he and his sister moved off as they continued to argue. Aang looked at her, his hand finding her leg as he used it as leverage to turn his body.

" **You really wanna stay?"** He said with a smile, as though she'd given some indication she didn't plan on staying. If she had done that, it was an accident.

" **Yeah, if you'll have me, I'd love to stay."** She'd sort of lost her sister, and didn't have many other friends. It's not like she had anywhere else to go. But beyond that, she liked this group, and she was being able to see the world. What was better then that?

After the exchange, Aang and Masami crawled into what had turned into their bed and settled into sleep. Aang started out sleeping closer to her then he normally did, and for once they slept facing each other. They were woken a while later by Sokka coming back into the room.

" **We can leave tomorrow, all of us."** His words seemed final, and Masami felt bad for Katara, but said nothing.

* * *

Kali stood motionless just inside the door, listening to Zuko and wondering whether to leave or not. She knew she should leave now before he noticed her but curiosity seemed to be getting the best of her as she remained frozen on the spot. He was speaking very quietly to himself in a low voice so she could only just barely make out some of what he was saying. There was mention of making someone proud and (of course) the Avatar and ...and...obtaining mustard? What?! That couldn't be right. If he wanted mustard so badly, why wouldn't he just say so? It was a bit easier to obtain mustard than the Avatar after all. They could stop at the next decent market and she could probably find some mustard seeds...

She concentrated a little harder, eventually coming to the conclusion that what he'd really said was something more like "regaining honor," which made much more sense. At any rate, she eventually decided once and for all that she couldn't just stand there eavesdropping on his one-on-no-one conversation. Quietly closing the door, she turned to leave, then stopped abruptly. Her usual feelings toward the prince could be summarized as an overwhelming desire to slap him. But, in certain brief moments, like this one, she was more inclined to wonder why he was the way he was. He had a chip on his shoulder the size of a flying bison (a creature which she still couldn't believe actually existed in the world) and a scar the size of a giant fist smeared across his face that she got the distinct feeling hadn't been put there by accident ("Oops, my mistake! Lost control of my fist while I was fire-bending and...yeah, sorry..."). In all her time aboard this ship, he'd been nothing but rude, obnoxious, reckless, and at times even a bit cruel. Yet surely there was something in him that kept his kind, loyal uncle by his side. What was it he was hiding?

She turned to face the door, pondering this, only to suddenly be face to face with Zuko, who ran headlong into her. For the second time that day, she found herself knocked to the floor, only this time, he was the one landing on top.

**"Oooff!"**

**"Ohh!"**

He gave her an especially sour, slightly crooked scowl that he seemed to be cultivating just for situations such as this with her and said, in his usual cheerful voice,

**"WHY DON'T YOU WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING?!"**

Picking himself up, he stomped off down the corridor, leaving her on the ground.

Some day, she really was going to slap him across the face, she told herself. She might regret it the moment after, but at the time, it would feel fantastic and, right now, she hoped there would be lots of people to witness it.

* * *

The group rose with the sun the next morning. Outside their cabin, Appa sat eating. Katara had brought food up for him. Aang and Masami saddled him up as Sokka collected the rest of their things. Masami stood off to the side as Jet said his goodbyes to Katara. Sokka seemed troubled as he moved around the camp but he didn't speak to anyone. The group all got into the saddle, and as they started to fly off, Sokka stopped. He spoke for the first time that day,

 **"Wait."** He said. Everyone did, all just staring at him. **"Jet...how would you feel about coming with us?"** He said suddenly, surprising everyone.

Jet's rather oddly shaped eyebrows rose up his forehead, **"Why the sudden change of heart?"** He asked suspiciously.

 **"When I said I didn't want her staying here, it wasn't anything personal. But then I decided maybe I was wrong. But I didn't want to leave her here all the same. So I was being selfish. But then I had this idea, and thought just maybe if you came with us, she could be happy. And so could I."** Sokka admitted, shrugged slightly. **"I know you have your group, but they have Smellerbee and Longshot so I wasn't sure how you'd feel about it but I think they could make it without you. If you wanted to come."** He continued, scratching the back of his neck. **"And the more hands we have to help Aang get to the North Pole, the better I think."** Jet was a good fighter, Sokka was making a valid point.

All eyes were on Jet as he seemed to contemplate what the right answer was. He looked at Smellerbee, and Longshot. They nodded, not having to speak. **"Alright."** He said simply after a moment. Katara's face lit up, Masami smiled slightly. Aang was as excited as he always was. Sokka smiled too, a bit. Little else was said as Aang and Sokka went to help Jet get the few things he planned to bring with him. After a hushed exchange between the rest of the kids, and Jet the boys climbed into the saddle and the group was ready to go.

" **Yip yip!"** Aang called, flapping the reins lightly as the bison rose above the trees into the sky. As the group got farther and farther away, Masami wondered where her sister was right then.


	3. Food eats people!

Kali leaned against the railing of the front of the Shoeboat. A cool breeze blew the smell of the salty sea in her face and fluttered her hair while the sun beamed down, warming her. She doubted she'd ever truly be comfortable out to sea (the vastness of the ocean was mildly terrifying to her in those moments when she saw how isolated the ship looked out on it, with no land in sight), but today seemed the perfect day for sailing. Adding to her good mood was the fact that Uncle had promised to teach her Pai Sho today. Zuko had reluctantly given her half of the day off from work, thanks to Uncle's continued urging. She smiled to herself.

Zuko stood staring ahead through his telescope. Uncle arrived on deck and Kali looked at him expectantly. Uncle smiled at her, then stopped. He sniffed the air, inhaling heavily, then frowned at the horizon.

**"There's a storm coming,"** he said, matter-of-factly, **"A big one."**

Both Zuko and Kali looked at him in confusion.

**"You're out of your mind, Uncle! There isn't a cloud in the sky!"**

Uncle glanced at Zuko.

**"There's a storm blowing in from the north. I recommend we head southward."**

Zuko walked over to him.

**"We know the Avatar is heading north, so we will do the same."**

Uncle looked up at him now, a worried look coming over his face.

**"Prince Zuko, consider the safety of the crew!"**

Jee strolled out of the ship's main entrance to the interior and stopped to watch them, a look of concern crossing his face.

**"The safety of the crew doesn't matter!"** Zuko said angrily to his uncle, then glared at the crew. Noticing Jee's expression changing from concern to open resentment, he narrowed his eyes and strutted across the deck to stand with his face shoved into Jee's. Speaking in a low voice, he said,

**"Finding the Avatar is more important than any individual's safety."**

He looked the crew over once more, stopping on Kali long enough to give her the look she now considered to be her own personalized version of his scowl, then stormed off inside, slamming the door behind him.

Kali followed him with her eyes, her good mood now vanished. She joined Jee and Uncle where they stood hesitantly.

**"He doesn't mean that,"** Uncle said worriedly, **"He's just all worked up."**

Jee's face revealed he was unconvinced. Neither was Kali. Then Uncle turned to her, obviously anxious to change the subject,

**"So, how about we get started with that game of Pai Sho?"**

* * *

All seemed like a normal day for the now growing group surrounding the Avatar. The group had started the day doing a little bit of shopping in a village, but Fire Nation guards had startled them enough that they returned to Appa and decided it was safest to take refuge for the night. The last thing they wanted right now was a fight. So, once settled in a quarry of some sort, Katara and Masami settled into making dinner with some vegetables they had been able to buy before they had gotten spooked. Sokka and Jet praticed sparring nearby, and Aang brushed Appa. The group sat down to eat once the girls had finished the meal, and then talked around the campfire until decently late into the night. Katara and Jet snuggled into their sleeping bag, Sokka in the middle, and Aang and Masami on his other side.

Sleeping so close together, Masami noticed when Aang started to toss and turn. He normally wasn't very active, but had they been back in the trees sleeping in their bed, he probably would have knocked Masami to the ground. Once his knee hit her back on final time, he jerked awake sending Momo skirting down the sleeping group one-by-one.

" **What's wrong?! Did we get captured again?"** Sokka asked groggily, holding up his weapons. Jet pulled one of his tiger hook swords, holding it in front of he and Katara. Masami blinked, and rubbed her eyes as she looked around, but saw nothing.

" **It's nothing, I just had a bad dream. Go back to sleep."** Aang said, his voice sounding almost defeated to Masami. That seemed to be enough for Sokka, Jet too. Katara glanced at Masami, then at Aang but said nothing. Masami furrowed her brow, placing her hand on the ground behind Aang as she leaned in a bit so she could talk softly.

" **Hey. You...Is everything okay? You haven't been sleeping very well."** She had the knee marks on her back to prove it. Her mid-sentence stumble made her frustrated but she made herself get through the thought all the same. Aang glanced at her, but rolled his head around to face the other way.

" **I'm fine. I just need to get some rest."** He answered, his voice quiet. She felt her brow wrinkle further. Before she could say anything else, Sokka sat up again.

" **You guys wanna hear about my dream?"** He asked, Katara rolled her eyes and pushed her head further into Jet's arm. Masami looked at him with a quizical expression.

" **That's okay. I didn't wanna talk about it anyway."** Sokka added, flopping back onto his sleeping bag. Masami wasn't sure about this whole thing, but if he didn't want to talk that was okay. She laid back down, and did her best to sleep through his tossing the rest of the night.

The following morning, the group rose with the sun and started collecting their things.

" **Look at those clouds, Buddy! Should be some smooth flying!"** Aang said from the driver's seat of sorts. Masami looked up at him with a small smile, looking over her shoulder as Katara shook their provisions bag, and it was empty. Feeding more mouths meant they went through food faster, it was something they were still having to adjust to.

As they boarded Appa to go find a market, Sokka stopped them.

" **Guys, wait! This was in my dream! We shouldn't go the market!"** He said suddenly,

" **Why? What happened in your dream?"** Katara asked, leaning towards him.

" **Food eats people!"** Sokka added, his voice serious. Masami raised an eyebrow. **"Also! Momo could talk! You said some very unkind things!"** He told the lemur, who lowered his ears. Despite Sokka's cryptic warning, the majority ruled that the market trip was necessary.

* * *

Pai Sho was a pretty awesome game, Kali decided. She and Uncle had spent a couple of hours playing the game before she'd had to leave to begin cooking lunch. According to Uncle, she'd picked it up really quickly. She'd always enjoyed games that involved logic and Pai Sho was all about strategy. Uncle had already started teaching her different strategies to try and pointing out the various options the game allowed.

She had just finished the noodles when Garron came dashing into the kitchen.

**"Kali, c'mon! You don't want to miss this! Jee looks like he's about to get into a fight!"**

He then dashed back out the door and Kali took the noodles off the stove and followed him hurriedly. A fight? With who? She hastily walked outside just in time to hear Jee say angrily, **"What do you know about respect?!"** and see Uncle Iroh behind him attempting to signal him to stop there. Jee took a step toward Zuko, who was facing away from him with his fists clenched. Jee was challenging Zuko?!

**"The way you talk to everyone around here, from your hard-working crew to your esteemed uncle, shows you know nothing about respect!"**

Zuko swung around to face Jee, taking a fighting stance. Jee mimicked the stance and they advanced on each other. Their armor clanked as they held their arms against each other, steam and smoke beginning to rise between them as each tried to outlast the other. The rest of the crew looked on eagerly and Kali glanced from one hard face to the other, wondering who would win if this went any further. Fortunately, it didn't.

**"Enough!** " Uncle said loudly, forcing them apart and standing slightly between them, **"We are all a bit tired from being at sea for so long. I'm sure that after a bowl of noodles, everyone will feel much better."**

Kali seriously doubted that but took the cue to hurry back to her cooking, glancing over her shoulder as she headed down the stairs. The two would-be combatants stomped away from one another. Kali looked up at the dark horizon ahead of them. Uncle Iroh had been right about the storm. A sinking feeling crawled down the back of her spine. And after a bowl of noodles, she still didn't feel better.

* * *

Once the group landed a little ways outside a port village, Masami felt a little on edge. She knew this time of year in fishing villages like this. It was not unlike where she had come from, but it didn't matter. Her uncertainty over nothing would slow down the group and they didn't need that. She swallowed the nagging in the back of her head and she kept up with them as they split up to shop. She and Aang went one way to find things suitable to feed Appa, Katara and Jet looked for supplies for them and Sokka was left in charge of groceries. Masami wasn't sure about letting Sokka choose their food, but no one else seemed worried about it.

All the same, as they found things that seemed good and fresh, they ended up getting a little more than just lettuce for Appa. Which ended up being a good call since Sokka came back to them empty handed with a smile and a shrug. Masami put her hand over her face, and told him she'd take care of it. Once she met up with the boys again, all they had bought this time was small pieces of candy. Masami wasn't displeased with this purchase though, the candy was surprisingly tasty.

As they found Katara and Jet, it seemed Katara was worried about the same thing she had been and was looking at melons. She didn't seem pleased with how they sounded, so as the merchant nagged about them truly being fresh she turned and asked the rest of the group. Without being able to get a consensus, they passed on the melons.

As they walked away, the merchant managed to land Jet a nice kick in the pants that got the group walking a little faster. But, the food they had been able to get had taken the rest of their money. Jet and Sokka discussed what to do,

" **We could work some kind of odd job or something."** Jet suggested as they sat on the side of the dock.

" **That could be something, yeah..if we could find something safe."** Sokka added, reclining on his hands. All eyes looked up as a bickering couple wandered by.

" **You shouldn't go out there! The fish can wait! There's going to be a terrible storm!"** She cried, waving her hands at the man.

" **You're crazy! It's going to be a nice day! No clouds, no wind, no nothing! So quit your nagging, woman!"** He shot back. The group watched, trying not to stare but not really being able to stop.

" **Maybe we should find some shelter."** Aang asked his voice a little scared sounding. Masami looked at him, but before she could speak Sokka spoke up.

" **Shelter from what?"** He asked, looking back at the couple.

" **My joints say it's going to be a storm! A bad one!"**

" **Well it's your joints against my brain!"**

" **Well, I hope your brain can hold those fish, cuz I ain't comin!"**

" **Then I'll find a new hauler and pay him double what you get! How do you like that?"** The man shot back, and Sokka shot straight up from his sitting position, running towards the man; he was closely followed by Jet.

" **I'll go!"** He said,

" **Me too."** Jet added, standing behind him.

" **I'll take you both."** He responded, barely looking at the group.

" **What? You said get a job, and he's paying double!"** Sokka responded to the looks,

" **Double? Who told you that nonsense?"**

* * *

Kali listened worriedly to the sounds of the storm pounding against the ship. At one time, she'd been unable to even approach any body of water bigger than a creek. She'd seen how powerful and destructive water could be. But, together with Masami, she'd learned to cope with that fear to a certain degree. The fact that she'd volunteered herself to sail on the ocean for weeks on end had been a big step, but a necessary one. Now as she listened to the storm bombard the old, creaky ship, she clutched at herself and tried not to let her fear overtake her.

Finding herself shivering from chills going up and down her spine, she walked down toward where she knew the rest of the crew was probably gathered around a fire. Everyone was looking at Jee when she entered the room.

**"I'm tired of taking his orders and I'm sick of hunting his Avatar! I mean, who does Zuko think he is?!"**

"Do you really want to know?"

Everyone in the room, including Kali, who had just started down the stairs, turned, startled, to see Uncle Iroh standing in the doorway. Kali was surprised she hadn't heard him come in right behind her.  
 **  
"General Iroh, sir."** Jee stood uneasily, **"We were just-"**

**"It's okay,"** Uncle interrupted him, calmly, **"May I join you?"**  
 **  
"Of course, sir."**

Kali and Uncle pulled up chairs beside the already crowded circle around the fire. Uncle sighed as he sat down.

**"Try to understand. My nephew is a complicated young man. He has been through much."**

The crew stared at Uncle intently and the only sounds that could be heard were the sounds of the storm pounding the ship and the crackling fire. Kali leaned forward, still holding herself and trying to focus on the story instead of her fear. Maybe she'd finally learn what exactly Zuko's deal was. Who knew? Maybe what she'd overheard him talking to himself about would make sense too after this. Uncle began his tale.

* * *

Everything about this seemed to be making Aang nervous.

" **Sokka, maybe this isn't such a good idea."** He tried as Sokka and Jet loaded the ship. Sokka looked over his shoulder,

" **I agreed to do this job, I can't back out because of some bad weather."** He responded, handing some cargo to Jet as they put it below deck. From the shore,

" **The boy with the tattoos has some sense! Maybe you should listen to him!"** The woman spat at her husband. The man looked up, approaching Aang.

" **Boy with tattoos? Airbender tattoos, well I'll be a Hogmonkey's uncle! You're the Avatar, ain'tcha?!"** He questioned, sounding impressed. Masami looked at Katara as she nodded in affirmation. This was the first time they hadn't been attacked for Aang being the Avatar, it set Masami on edge offering up that detail so easily. She seemed to have the right idea about it,

" **Well don't be so smiley about it! The Avatar disappeared for 100 years! You turned your back on the world."** The man said, putting his finger in Aang's chest. Before she could stop herself, Masami lifted water from the ocean, brought her arms up like she had been practicing and dislodged the man from his position in front of Aang. The suddenness of the blow caused the older man to loose his footing. Masami said nothing, but kept the whip up so the man knew she meant business.

" **Touch him again."** She hissed. The man, seemingly startled, pulled himself up slowly.

" **Aang would never turn his back on anyone."** Katara urged, her voice steady as she seemed to try to be stopping a fight.

" **Oh he wouldn't, huh? Then I guess I just have imagined the last hundred years of war and suffering**. **"** The fisherman shot back, wanting a fight.

" **That's not true."** Masami urged, she wasn't sure of the whole story but she knew Aang wouldn't do that, right? But before she could turn around, Aang was panicked and gone. Katara looked back at the old man to retort but before she could address him again Masami had thrown him into the water.

" **You're a bastard."** She snapped, her sanguine eyes never leaving his face as she spoke. She looked over to Katara, **"I'm going to go find him."** She nodded, but looked back at the boat, conflicted. Masami read it in her face, speaking to her again. **"You stay here with her in case he comes back?"** She suggested, pointing to the fisherman's wife. Katara nodded, and Masami tore off to go find Appa and go after Aang.

This was the first time Masami had ever steered the bison alone, but she was doing fair until the rain started. The rain made her panic, reminded her of home. She swallowed, hoping she could get out of this mess soon. She flew over the mountains surrounding the town and she could barely make out the opening in the rocks on the other side of the rock face. She thought it was worth a looking at, and she flew the bison towards it. She ran inside the cave, shaking the rain out of her hair. Appa entered the cave behind her, but as she looked in the small cavern she found Aang sitting cross legged on the floor.

" **I'm sorry for running away."** He whispered, keeping his head low.

" **He had no right to say any of that."** Masami put in, her tone clearly put out.

" **He was right."** Aang insisted, his tone not lightening up at all.

" **What do you mean? He was just a mean old man, don't let him think you did anything wrong."** She didn't like Aang being so sad.

" **I don't want to talk about it."** Aang uttered.

Masami swallowed, **"Is this about why you haven't been sleeping? Please, let me help."** She tried, wanting to understand what was wrong. His cinereal eyes met her garnet ones.

" **It's kind of a long story...I'll never forget the day the monks told me I was the Avatar. I was playing with some other kids just outside the South Wall. I was trying to teach them how to do the air scooter...** "

* * *

Kali sat quietly between Sal and Kahn and tried to imagine a cheerful, 13-year-old Zuko without a scar and with a normal hairline. It was very difficult. The crew sat solemnly, captivated by the tale Uncle was telling. When Zuko was 13, he'd wanted to sit in on a war council his father, Fire Lord Ozai, was holding. Since he was the heir to the throne, he felt it would be a good idea to start learning more about how things worked in the Fire Lord's chamber. Uncle had allowed him to accompany him into the chamber with the promise that he remain silent, in order to avoid offending any of the council members. Unfortunately, (go figure, Kali thought) Zuko had not remained silent.

During the meeting, the subject of a dangerous battalion of Earth Nation troops located in a key area had been brought up. One of the generals, older and evidently prestigious, had recommended sending in a division of young, relatively inexperienced soldiers against the hostile force. In other words, the young division would be sent on a suicide mission; an intentional sacrifice.

**"You can't sacrifice an entire division like that! Those soldiers love and defend our nation! How can you betray them?"**

Zuko had stood, outraged. He'd challenged the general. Kali thought of the Zuko she knew. Cranky, selfish, displaying no sign of caring about anything or anyone other than his quest to capture the Avatar. Yet he'd stood angrily (there was something unchanged) once, in a fit of patriotism and genuine compassion, and striven to defend a division of soldiers against one of their own generals (a man who clearly outranked him). Kali felt her chest tighten and looked down to see her fists clenching hard on the side of her seat as outrage filled her as well.

**"Zuko was right, you see, but it was not his place to speak out and there were dire consequences,"** Uncle said sadly, **"After Zuko's outburst in the meeting, the Fire Lord became very angry with him. He said that Prince Zuko's outburst was an act of complete disrespect and there was only one way to resolve this."**

Some of the men gasped and Uncle paused in his story to close his eyes wearily. Kali looked at the faces around her, waiting for an explanation. Finally, Jee spoke up, sounding reluctant.

**"Agni Kai. A fire duel."**

Uncle looked up and nodded slowly.

**"That's right. Zuko looked upon the old general he had insulted and declared that he was not afraid. But Zuko misunderstood. When he turned to face his opponent, he was surprised to see that it was not the general. Zuko had spoken out against a general's plan, but by doing so in the Fire Lord's war room, it was the Fire Lord whom he had disrespected. Zuko would have to duel his own father."**

There was silence for a moment again as they all took this in. Kali shuddered, knowing how painful it would be to have to duel a family member. Not that her own father and she had ever had a relationship like family members, but she imagined Zuko and his father had. How could the Fire Lord do that to his own son?! The outrage grew within her and then frustration joined it as she tried to understand the logic.

**"I don't understand,"** she said suddenly. Uncle and the rest of the crew looked at her as she stared at Uncle's face. She struggled to think of a good way to explain why she didn't understand.

" **Why…how does the room he spoke in matter more than the person he insulted? And why would…a father want to fight his own son if he could avoid it?"**

She looked around, hoping she hadn't made a fool of herself. Sure, she'd be mad if people starting acting up in her war room but then again, wasn't debate supposed to be part of what a war council was all about? And even if some young upstart challenged an old, experienced guy in her war room, let them handle it. Just make sure they don't handle it in her room and make a mess! She felt slightly relieved to see she wasn't the only one looking questioningly at Uncle. Uncle sighed.

**"An act of disrespect against someone in someone's house is automatically an act of disrespect to the host, regardless of who the disrespect was intended toward, but, I agree, that it would make more sense to first and foremost work things out between those who had the disagreement. As for your second question,"** his face saddened, **"I do not have the answer."**

Kali furrowed her brow and came to two quick conclusions. 1) Respect was overrated if such an innocent act could cause such a terrible response and 2) the Fire Nation's system, as far as handling disputes went, was stupid.

* * *

Masami started a fire with Aang's help as he started his story. They each sat facing each other, Momo was in his lap. Appa dozed behind them, and Masami sat facing Aang with her elbows resting on her knees. He had her undivided attention. She mindlessly fiddled with the curls hanging down her back as she did often when she was thinking.

As Aang spoke, she could picture this scene nearly vividly. A group of monks playing together, all boys of decently varying ages. Aang had apparently always been a talented bender so he was showing his peers somethings he had learned, other things he had come up with on his own. One of the boys tried and failed to be able to master the air scooter, no matter how easy Aang seemed to make it look.

" **You kind of have to balance on it like it's a top."** Aang added as the boy pulled himself off the ground.

" **Man, that's hard."** He said, rubbing his head. Another boy spoke up, excited to find out that it was in fact something Aang had come up with, rather than learned. But before anything else could be said, Aang was pulled away by a group of elders, and Gyatso. Masami heard that name for the first time that night, but she learned just how important he was to Aang in just the way he spoke of him. Aang was taken before the group of elders, and he was told to be the Avatar. Masami felt her chest constrict at the idea of a 12 year old being told that the world was on his shoulders, simply because he'd picked some toys out from others.

" **I fear that war may be upon us, Young Avatar."** The elders told him. Masami felt herself want to cry as Aang spoke, she didn't know how anyone could handle that news. Let alone a child, a child who was her friend. She watched him as he spoke, his shoulders lowered and his eyes downcast. He proceeded to tell her that people he had once considered friends treated him differently, they wouldn't let him play with them anymore. They couldn't because it wasn't fair that the Avatar was that much better of a bender then they were. That too angered Masami, but she kept her mouth shut.

The name Gyatso came up again, and it seemed he was the only one who treated Aang the same once he was the Avatar. But, it wouldn't last, the Elder Monks took it upon themselves to decide what was best for Aang, because it was best for the world. Gyatso had tried, but failed to appeal his case, and they were separated.

Before Masami could say anything, Aang was on his feet. He tore around the room, frustrated. **"How could they do that to me? They wanted to take away everything I knew and everyone I loved!"** The arrows on his head started to glow, and the winds in the cave picked up. Masami squealed lightly as cinders from the fire struck her in the arm. She brushed them off, and Aang turned around at her distressed noise, the glowing ceased. He dropped to the floor again,

" **I'm sorry."** He trailed off. She shook her head,

" **I'm fine."** she answered with a smile, **"Is that all that happened?"** He shook his head, pulling his knees up to his chin.

* * *

**"Please, father, I only had the Fire Nation's best interest at heart! I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!"**

**"You will fight for your honor."**

**"I meant you no disrespect. I am your loyal son."**

**"Rise and fight, Prince Zuko!"**

**"I won't fight you."**

**"You will learn respect and suffering shall be your teacher."**

The words rang in Kali's ears as Iroh recounted Zuko's exchange with his father in the arena. She stared ahead, not really seeing, as Iroh told them of how the Fire Lord had scarred Zuko, then banished him from the Fire Nation. Her fingers had turned white from clenching the side of her seat and she felt as though she would burn up from all the anger she could feel boiling up inside of her. How could anyone do that to their own child?! Her thoughts went to her own father, then returned to Zuko as Uncle continued his story. The Fire Lord proclaimed that Zuko had shown shameful weakness for not fighting him. He'd declared that Zuko could only return to the Fire Nation and regain his honor by capturing the Avatar. Shameful weakness?! Her thoughts raced .

She looked up as Jee spoke.

**"So that's why he's so obsessed. Finding the Avatar is the only chance he has of things returning to normal."**

Uncle shook his head.

**"Things will never return to normal. But the important thing is, the Avatar gives Zuko hope."**

Suddenly, there was a loud crack, the sound of some horrific catastrophe occurring above them, and the ship shook.

* * *

" **I never saw Gyatso again."** He explained, going on to tell her things she hadn't known about how he had come to be with Sokka and Katara.

" **So..you ran away?"** She asked, her voice not judgmental but there was a question to it.

" **And then the Fire Nation attacked out temple. My people needed me and I was there to help. The world needed me and I wasn't there to help. That fisherman was right! I did turn my back on the world!"** His head started to glow again and Masami reached for him, around the fireside.

" **Aang, please. Don't do this to yourself."** She begged, holding onto his right wrist. He picked up his head, the glowing spread to his eyes too, interesting and terrifying all at once, Masami mused.

" **You can't change the past, I know that's not what you want to hear. But you're here now. People believe in you, I Believe in you. You're a sign of hope that there is still good in this world."** She pleaded with him, and finally he relented; something in him did. His head lost the glow, and his eyes were the ones she'd grown used to.

Before anything else could be said, there was a voice behind them,

" **Help! Please, help!"** It was Katara, and the Fisherman's wife. The men hadn't come back from the storm yet. Aang narrowed his eyes,

" **I'm going after them."** He decided, rising from the ground and taking hold of Appa's reins.

" **Not alone."** Masami tossed in, standing as well. She didn't like the look of the storm, and hated the idea of going that close to the ocean even more, but regardless of her fears she wasn't letting Aang go alone. Leaving Katara and the woman safely with Momo in the cave, the pair set off into the mess to go find Sokka, Jet, and the grumpy old man.

* * *

As the crew and Uncle rushed towards the door leading to the deck, they were joined by Zuko. Kali, Lieutenant Jee, and Zuko led the way as they burst outside into the rain.

**"Where were we hit?!"** cried Zuko. Kali heard Jee respond but his words were lost to her. She looked back at the upper part of the ship where Garrow would be, then yelled, **"Look!"** She pointed and Zuko and the crew looked up to where they could see the main cabin wrecked and Garrow hanging from a piece of the rigging.

**"The helmsman!"** Zuko shouted in alarm. He, Jee, Garron, and Obi rushed towards the ladders on either side of the ship leading up to the main cabin. Kali stood horrified on the deck watching them climb as the ship was rocked viciously by waves and lightning flashed all around them. Wind buffeted them all and water washed over the decks. Hadji, because of his light stature, was knocked over by one of the waves and began to slide past her. She and Balbo grabbed him, pulling him upright to keep him from falling into the sea. She looked back up in time to see Garrow fall.

**"Nooo!"** she half-screamed, then watched as Zuko caught him and, together with Jee, helped him get a grip on the ladder. As they began to climb down, Kali's hair suddenly stood on end as lightning flashed out of the sky right in front of her. She stood stunned as Uncle spread his arms, caught the lightning with one, and guided it across his body with the other to send it harmlessly landing in the sea. He looked a bit singed afterward but nonetheless, he had just bent lightning! She felt her jaw drop.

Then she spotted something flying through the air.

**"Look!"** she shouted again, pointing, and they all looked.

**"The Avatar!"** Zuko said, startled.

**"What do you want to do, sir?** " Jee asked him.

After a pause, Zuko said, **"Let him go. We need to get this ship to safety."**

Kali knew she wouldn't be able to look at him the same way after this night.

**"Then we must head directly into the eye of the storm,"** Iroh counseled, smiling. Garrow, Kahn, and Balbo rushed inside to work on turning the ship while everyone else clung to the sides of the ship and struggled to keep anything from falling overboard and figure out where the eye of the storm was. Finally, Uncle spotted where it must be and sent Hadji inside to tell the others. As everyone else turned to head for shelter, a huge, powerful wave suddenly hit them full force from the side. Everyone but Uncle and Jee, who were already partially inside the cabin, was knocked off their feet and sent sliding across the ship towards the edge. Sal and Garron managed to scramble to the edge of the ship's upper half and use the wall to keep from sliding too far, while Obi held on to the opposite side of the ship for dear life. Kali slung herself sideways and hit the rail hard but managed to stay aboard. Zuko was not so lucky. He'd been knocked backwards and as he slid into the rail, he was catapulted over the side, screaming. The others rushed to the side while Kali clambered up to look over the railing after him. She searched the waters frantically until she found him struggling not too far from the ship. He was just barely staying up. Kali felt sick and empty, frozen to the spot for a moment. Then she looked at the wall beside her where one of the lines for mooring the ship hung. Barely thinking, she grabbed the line, tied it around her waist, and threw herself toward the flailing form the instant she caught sight of him again.

She hit the icy water hard and felt the shock course through her. She kicked up and managed to surface only to be knocked under again by a wave. Terror propelled her upward and panic threatened to overwhelm her as she realized how foolish she'd been. Luck prevailed, ramming him into her almost just as she reached the surface again. She grabbed onto him and for a moment they grappled, each overwhelmed by their own fear and pulling the other down with them. Then a tug at her waste, pulling her upward, reminded her why she was there and she grabbed onto him in an attempt to pull him up with her. Coughing and choking, they surfaced again as the line pulled them back towards the ship through the waves. They barely had time to breathe though when the lifeline pulling them to safety went slack and they plunged back into the dark suffocation. For a moment, they still clung together, then Zuko released and tried to swim up. His armor cut into her and she understood suddenly that with it on, they were both doomed. She could no longer tell which way was up but frantically held onto Zuko with one hand while trying to find the clasps that released his armor, yanking at anything that seemed metallic and stuck out. She felt something release as she did so and struggled futilely to tug the armor off. Then she lost her grip. She bobbed back up to the top, yelled frantically, **"ZUKO!"** and looked around. The line was taut again and starting to pull her through the waves once more. She reached down towards where he had been, gagging and flailing helplessly. She couldn't see, she couldn't breathe, she could only feel.

Something grabbed her from beneath, pressed itself against her gut and bound her legs. She reached down, rammed her hands into something hard with hair and clasped them onto cloth. Zuko gasped and spat as he reached the surface again, his head pressed against her chest. He'd somehow managed to get the armor the rest of the way off. She clung to the rope with one hand and tried to cling to him with her other. For a while the water mercilessly smashed against them, twisted them, beat them. They gasped and choked and gasped again and choked again and then, everything went dark for her.

* * *

Flying through wave after wave, Masami tried to keep herself as focused as she could. As the bison touched down in the water, she felt herself stop breathing.

" **Come on, Appa! The boat! There!"** Aang cried, tugging the animal up as much as he could, clearing a path for them with his airbending. Masami was amazed at his calm. As they came out on the other side of the wave, Aang looked over his shoulder,

" **Take the reins!"** He called to her as he took his staff and dove straight off the creature's head, towards the boat. Before she could react at all, she was staggering to her feet and fumbling for the flapping rope attached to the creature's horns. She secured it in time to have Aang hopping back board, Sokka, Jet and the old man in tow. Masami turned Appa, and headed straight back through where they had come from, Aang occasionally having to clear waves as they did.

Before they could reach the cave, or even the eye of the storm a large wave washed over the group, the bison not being able to turn swiftly enough took on water and the rest of the group washed under with him. The force she hit the water with knocked the air out of Masami, and her eyes closed as panic seized her breathless body. She flailed in the water, trying to get ahold of herself, but the current being too strong for her. But as she started to lose the energy to fight, there was a blinding light behind her closed eyes and before she knew it she was back out of the water, in the saddle and sailing up into the eye of the storm.

So, it seemed Aang had saved her, again. Saved them all. She was right about him, she realized for sure now. He wasn't some sort of run away like he had thought. He was the hope the world needed after all, and that light that came from him could hurt, but it could also save. As they landed back in the cave, Jet and Katara kissed happily as they were reunited, as did the fishing couple. Masami and Aang checked Sokka over as well, though aside from being a little waterlogged he was fine.

" **And if you weren't here now, well, I guess I wouldn't be either. Thank you for saving my life, Avatar."** The old man said as he approached them from the back. Masami looked over her shoulder at him, and he looked at the ground under her gaze. He and sokka then launched into an argument about payment. Masami rolled her eyes, and Sokka tossed a dead fish her direction as the man placed it in his hands.

" **Gross!"** She gasped as she caught it, tossing it back at Sokka. Aang got her attention as she wiped her hand on her tunic furiously.

" **Masami? You're right. I'm done dwelling on the past."** He said with a smile, touching her hand lightly. Her motions stilled, and she looked up at him with a smile.

" **Good, I'm glad. You were amazing back there."** She answered with a sincere smile. He blushed, and before anything else was said, Sokka noticed it wasn't raining. The group decided they needed to get moving in case the weather took a turn for the worse again. They boarded Appa, took the couple back to the village and sailed off over the clouds

.

* * *

The air was cool and there was no rain. Light blinded her and she blinked up at the whiteness shining through the clouds above her. She couldn't seem to think about anything and so continued to stare, uncertain how much time passed. Dark figures surrounded her but she could only see the light. Then her eyes close again.

" **Kali? Kali, wake up!"**

She coughed as something warm and bitter entered her mouth. Opening her eyes, she saw the warm red glow of the ship and felt confused. Rolling back to face upward, a face finally registered in her head. Uncle Iroh.

" **Kali?"**

She breathed heavily and tried to nod at him. She couldn't seem to get any words out. He sat beside her and, propping her head back up, tried again to give her some tea. After a few sips, she shakily lifted her hands to take it and held it in her lap for a while, staring down at it before Uncle's urging finally made her go back to drinking it. Gradually, she became more aware of what had occurred.

" **Thank you,"** she said weakly to Uncle, handing him back the cup after she'd finished the tea. He smiled slightly and put a hand on her shoulder.

" **No. Thank you. My nephew would not be alive without you."**

 


	4. Take that, you rock!

The Shoeboat had stopped to make repairs after the storm. For once, Zuko had allowed them to stay in one place for more than a couple days. Kali wondered if he felt as uneasy about casting off again as she did. She'd spent as much time on land since they'd reached the port as possible and dreaded the time she had to spend on the ship.

The sun gleamed off her dark, black hair now as she strolled through the port's markets. She thought about the conversation she'd had the night before with Uncle.

She hadn't been surprised to find Zuko's room empty when she'd brought him his dinner that night (he seemed almost to be avoiding her since she'd saved him in the storm). She was surprised however to note that the swords that should have been hanging on the opposite wall from the door were missing. Puzzled, she left the food in his room and proceeded to Uncle's room.

 **"Ah, excellent,"** he said as she entered and set his meal down in front of him, **"Was my nephew in his room?"**

**"No sir."**

He pulled at his beard and frowned.

**"Ah…then he has not returned yet. That is…unfortunate."**

**"Returned, sir?"** Zuko rarely spent any time ashore if he wasn't doing something that involved tracking the Avatar.

**"Yes, he went ashore this morning. He did not say for what purpose exactly and I am growing a little concerned."**

**"I'm sorry to hear that sir."**

**"You look troubled, Kali. Is there something on your mind?"**

Kali blinked in surprise. Where had that come from? Uncle looked up at her with a concerned expression on his face.

"You must forgive my sudden forwardness. I have just been somewhat concerned for you since the storm. I know it was a very trying experience, especially given you were already ill at ease on the ship to begin with. Are you alright?"

**"I…yes, sir. How did you know about me-?"**

**"Being uncomfortable at sea?"** he smiled slightly, "I have been around long enough to know when someone is more than seasick."

**"Oh. Well, yes sir. I…much prefer to just look at the ocean from the shore over being in it."**

Uncle gave her a searching look and she hesitated, wondering if she should confide in him. She'd had a lot on her mind since the storm.

**"The truth is I have been considering asking the prince to end my employment as part of the crew. I am very grateful to you, especially, for convincing him to let me work aboard while I look for my sister, but we're so close to the Avatar now, according to the reports…"**

He raised an eyebrow and she winced slightly.

**"…which I haven't been listening in on at all. And the truth is…"**

She sighed and Uncle gestured for her to sit down. She did so.

**"Thank you. The truth is I'm not sure if I can…handle going back out to sea. Just being on board the ship now makes me feel a little sick."**

Uncle put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

**"I understand your position, Kali, and, if you wish to leave, no one here will oppose you. But, with all due respect, if that is your only concern, then I suspect you do not have much to worry about."**

She looked at him in surprise, confused.

**" Everything I have seen of you tells me that you are strong enough in mind and will that if you do decide to stay, you will not let your fear of the ocean overcome you."**

She stared at him for a moment. The only people who'd ever shown that kind of confidence in her were her mother and Masami.

**"Is that the only reason you wish to leave?"**

For the second time, Kali hesitated.

**"That's mostly it, sir."**

**"Mostly?"**

Kali fiddled with her hands uncertainly.

**"I've… been getting…accustomed to working here. With you and Zu-Prince Zuko and the crew. But, now that we're getting closer to the Avatar, I've been thinking…"**

She realized well that what she was about to say would probably not endear her to anyone.

 **"…once we do catch up with Masami and the Avatar… I think it'd pretty safe to say sir that I'll be leaving the crew.** "

 **"I understand,"** Uncle sighed, his face solemn. She looked at the ground, knowing he understood perfectly what she was implying. If the Avatar and Masami were friends now…Kali might find herself fighting for her life against the very men she was now helping.

* * *

Following the storm, the group was surprisingly unhurt for nearly as bad of an ordeal as that had been. Settling into an abandoned temple for the night, everyone's attention was on Sokka. Throughout the day, he had seemed a little off. Then, he started sneezing late in the afternoon. From there, it had all gone down hill. It seemed maybe they weren't all so healthy after all. Katara leaned over him with a damp cloth trying to break his fever.

" **This should bring your fever down."**

" **You know what I like best about Appa? This sense of humor!"**

 **"That's nice, I'll tell him."** After that, the large bison made a noise.

" **Hehe! Classic Appa!"**

Aang returned to the group, looking at the sick ones. He furrowed his brow,

" **I couldn't find any ginger root for tea, but I found a map. There's an herbalist on the top of that mountain. I think we should go find help."** He looked at Masami as he spoke, she nodded.

" **I think that's a good idea."** She nodded, looking at Sokka again.

" **Take that, you rock!"** He called, waving at nothing. She furrowed her brow, concerned.

Illness tended to make her skittish, but she really didn't want to get too far away from the group either. As the night wore on, the sneezing moved onto Jet who soon found himself under the care of a decently distant Masami and an overly protective Katara. But it got worse still when sometime in the evening she started to sneeze as well.

Masami sat by their sides, trying to do like Katara had done and break fevers. Panic seized her as her throat started to itch too, leading to a coughing fit.

" **Not you too!"** Aang said as she felt herself sneeze.

" **'M fine."** She wheezed.

" **No, you're not. None of you are. I'll go find help. I'll be back soon."** He promised, his hand lingering on her shoulder before he left. She wheezed again, flopping over onto the large creature behind her.

* * *

Kali returned to the present as she was jostled roughly by a man running by and yelling something about cabbages. She scowled and glanced at the sky. It had been a dreary day so it was difficult to tell for certain but she guessed it was getting close to the evening. Much to Zuko's dismay, the Shoeboat's departure from the harbor had been delayed further by the appearance of Fire Navy officials declaring that someone called Admiral Zhao had forbidden ships from entering or leaving the harbor at this time.

Later that day, Kali had watched enviously from above as Zuko angrily shot fire blasts about, venting his anger over being trapped in the harbor. Masami was the only person Kali'd ever told about her firebending and she'd always been careful to avoid letting anyone see her on the occasions when she practiced. Being a firebender without any allegiance to the Fire Nation was a dangerous thing. Not too long after Zuko's rage fest, she'd been cleaning the windows in the main cabin when she overheard him telling his uncle he was going ashore.

**"Excuse me, prince, but, since we're staying here…longer than planned, may I go ashore to collect more supplies?"**

**"No."**

**"But, sir, since we're staying here for an unknown period of time, we might need more supplies than originally anticipated for when we finally leave, since we'll be using up what we already bought while we're here."**

**"Did I ask for your opinion?"**

Kali frowned. That hadn't been an opinion so much as a prediction. And also, sort of lie, she admittedly reluctantly to herself. She'd made sure the ship was stocked with enough food to last them for a few weeks. But she really, really wanted to go ashore at least one more time before they left.

 **"Perhaps this might be wise,"** inserted Uncle, putting a hand on his nephew's shoulder, **"We can always do with a little extra supplies and that way, she can be on hand to assist you while you are ashore."**

**"I don't need her assistance, Uncle."**

**"Even so, please, take her ashore with you. I never say no to an additional provision of roast duck."**

* * *

As the night wore on, Masami felt weaker and weaker. She hadn't been sick in a long time, she groused. She tried to get up, and she get something for the group whenever they asked for it but by the time she came back with water the first time, she was wheezing and on her knees in front of Appa. Momo sat on her head as she pulled her knees up to her face, wobbling to keep up right. She didn't want to be sitting up and trying to help but at the same time she didn't want to just give into being ill. She shivered as she sat, and she pulled Momo into her arms to try to keep herself warm.

She rolled onto her back, and she found herself curled up by the arm of the sky bison. She hadn't ever really noticed the immense size of the animal until now. It was something amazing that all these kids were able to just spend this day lying on him and he couldn't be bothered to shake them off or anything of the sort. He just patiently laid there with them. She would admit these thoughts were slightly misplaced and out of sorts but she didn't really care. She just didn't have the energy to do anything else.

She found herself needing water more and more often. So she unfurled her arms released the lemur bat from her grasp. She looked at him,

" **Can you go get water?"** She asked, he tilted his head to the side, took her thermos and flew off. She swallowed, closing her eyes. She must have dozed off because the next thing she knew, Momo was back but he didn't have water. He had a clay pot, so she sent him off again, this time he came back with a diadem he placed on her head. She furrowed her brow, sending him off several more times, and each time he came back with stranger and stranger things.

" **Where did you get this?"** She asked him, as she pulled a deceased mole-squrriel off of Sokka. She hadn't seen one of those since she was a child, she didn't even know they lived in this part of the world. She closed her eyes again, dropping the animal a ways away from them, and she curled up. She missed Momo finally returning her thermos.

* * *

Zuko had surprisingly agreed to let her go ashore with him. This only once Uncle had started asking questions about what the prince was doing that he couldn't allow his uncle this simple favor. Zuko had finally snapped that she could come but she'd better not get in his way. Typical. Kali had started to wonder if she'd have been better off feeling sick on the ship and trying not to let the darkness of the sky remind her of the storm. Neither of them had spoken a word as Zuko piloted them to the shore. She'd waited expectantly for him to descend the gangplank first and had been startled when he'd angrily told her to go on ahead. She'd obeyed, having no interest in a pointless argument. She glanced back as she started down a street, concerned that this somewhat unusual behavior could be a bad sign

An hour went by as she idled about, feeling both even more thankful for Uncle than usual and even more conflicted about finding the Avatar and Masami. Evening was just settling in as she returned to the dock where she'd left Zuko, carrying more supplies than she should've been carrying by herself. In hindsight, she probably should've asked if one of the crew could help her. And also, she realized as she stopped suddenly, when exactly Zuko wished to return to the ship. She stared in dismay at the empty dock where the boat had been. Had he left her behind?! Surely, Uncle would protest if she wasn't there to cook dinner (it was nearly roast duck time, after all)?!

After double checking all the other docks to make sure she hadn't just made some kind of foolish mistake, she finally plunked down on one and stared out at the distant ship gloomily. Now what? Abruptly and without invitation, a thought occurred to her. She was, for the first time in weeks, completely alone and on the shore. Customarily when she went into the port cities, Zuko had at least one if not two of the crew go with her to help her with supplies and, she suspected, to keep an eye on her. Today, however, he'd been so angry about having to take her with him at all that he hadn't bothered to think of that. And now she was alone. The last reports of the Avatar had said he was somewhere in the area not too terribly far from this port. She stood and squinted. In the fading light of the day, she could just make out the outline of a mountain not too terribly far from the city. The reports had said the Avatar had last been spotted somewhere near it. As she stared at it, among the confused thoughts that came to her, it occurred to her that for Zuko to not have taken a team of rhinos up that mountain by now was strange. Why? Why was he keeping strange hours well into the night instead and not willing to tell even his uncle where he was going? She glanced back at the ship. Now was the perfect time for her to leave. The odds of them being this close to the Avatar again _without_ a team of rhinos were next to nothing. Even if they did get this close again, she realized, the odds of Zuko letting her go with him when he confronted the Avatar were probably equally as small. He knew, as well as she and Uncle knew, that if Kali's sister was still with the Avatar, then she was his friend. And Kali would have to remain loyal to her sister. There was no better time for her to strike out on her own than this time, alone on the dock of this port.

And yet…she couldn't help but think of Uncle. He was the one who'd convinced Zuko to let her go with him. He was the one who'd been so kind to her throughout the entire voyage, in spite of knowing she'd likely become only a problem later on. He'd trusted her. Guilt welled inside of her. Or, had he planned for this? Had he deliberately helped her get to this position on this dock now, knowing it would be the best time for her to leave? Beneath his kindness and sometimes outright goofiness, she'd always sensed there was more wisdom and, perhaps, shrewdness than he let on. He had been a great general once after all.

By now she was pacing the dock, torn on what to do. Leave and begin her own search for the Avatar? Wait here until the crew noticed their lack of dinner and came looking for her? The thought of betraying anyone made her ache, especially since not only Uncle but the entire crew had seemed to accept her. Only just this morning, Adar had insisted that since Music Night had finally come around once more, Kali would have no choice but to dance with him, to which she'd replied that would be impossible.

_**"I can't dance."** _

The rest of the crew had, of course, insisted that she could. And besides, whether she could or not, she was the only woman on board. And quite frankly, Garron had asserted, they were all getting a little tired of looking at beards and mustaches while spinning around to romantic songs in firelight.

Kali kicked one of the containers of supplies in frustration, struggling to reason with herself that it was probably better to leave now without any goodbyes anyway. It would be easier for everyone. She fell to her knees to reload the food, which had all spilled out when she'd kicked the container. Then she sat down beside it.

 _An hour_ , she thought. _I'll wait an hour._

* * *

As the night drew to a close, and the sun came up from beyond the mountains, and Masami was roused when she felt a hand on her face. Her garnet eyes blinked open, and she spied that Aang had come back though he looked slightly worse for wear than when he had left. She furrowed her brow, but wasn't aware enough to noticed he had shoved a frog between her lips. As she listened to the group, it dawned on her that whatever she was given was now moving. She belched, and the animal hopped away. She made a face, but was relieved to be able to finally move around again.

As some of the other group started slowly getting up, Aang collapsed somewhere close to her. She crawled over to him,

" **Thank you...for the frog."** She said quietly, he rolled over and scooted in a bit. He looked exhausted, and she placed her hand on his shoulder. He smiled, a sort of sad smile at her. She started to leave him alone when he wrapped his fingers around her wrist. She looked down at him, and she looked away, starting to release he.

" **You want me to stay?"** She asked him, he said nothing but nodded. She took the diadem off her head, and she lowered herself back to the bison-bed she'd just gotten off of. She curled herself lightly, shielding him sort of. He seemed more than alright with the idea, because he bent himself back towards her so they were fitted together somewhat awkwardly, but comfortably all the same.

Before dozing off again, she heard Sokka coming towards them to say something but Katara pulled him away. She was thankful for that.

* * *

An hour had nearly passed when the man stumbled up to her. Instinctively her hand went to a knife on her belt and once more she deeply regretted not having her swords on hand. He was speaking but his language was heavily slurred. She stood slowly, her eyes wide.

**"Hey there, sugar boobs. Mind if a strong, young buck like me joins you?"**

She raised an eyebrow and tried not to make a face. The man gave her a crooked smile. He was worn and decidedly not young. Before she could reply, however, he plummeted face first into her supplies, knocking about half of it into the water. She yelped and scrambled, without thinking, to try to save some of it before it sank, but it was too late. She bounced back up, aware she'd just turned her back on a drunken stranger, but was relieved to find him still laying on the dock, apparently half asleep, still slurring some words out. She pulled the supplies a little ways to the side around him and watched him uneasily, uncertain what she should do. Then, he rolled over in his sleep.

The water was somewhat cold in the night air as she jumped in after him. She'd apprehensively watched the water where he'd disappeared for a moment when he'd rolled off the dock. He'd resurfaced but it quickly became obvious he was struggling to remember how to swim and which way he should swim when he did remember. For a moment she panicked as she went under, her mind flashing back to the storm, the vastness of the dark and cold around her, the feeling of her chest seeming to shrink as the air left her lungs and the water pressed against her. Then she was at the surface again and there was only the man flailing beside her, shrieking and gurgling. She tugged at him, trying to keep him from clinging to her and pulling her down with him as she tried to lead him back toward the shore, knowing she'd never be able to haul him onto the dock. Fortunately, the water was relatively calm and after a certain point, what waves there were helped her in gradually getting closer to solid ground again. Then abruptly, she felt strong arms grip her and help guide her back to the docks, where more hands lifted her and the man out.

Several minutes later, she was in a nearby tavern, shaking with a towel slung over her, attempting to reassure everyone there that she was alright and really needed to return to the dock where her remaining supplies sat, unguarded. They had nearly been in the tavern before she'd been able to let go of the man who'd pulled her to the feet once she'd been lifted on to the dock.

 **"What's a girl like you doing out on a dock at this hour anyway?"** the tavern keeper wanted to know.

**"I'm…waiting. My ride back to the ship I work on left me and I've got no way of telling them."**

The tavern keeper crossed her arms.

**"Which ship would that be?"**

Kali hesitated, not wanting to explain she was on a Fire Navy ship and distracted by the fact that her hands wouldn't stop shaking, even though she wasn't cold anymore.

 **"Hang it a sec, you were with that Fire Nation prince, weren't you?"** croaked a man from the other side of the bar, **"I saw'im drop you off earlier, b'fore he took his boat and sailed on further down the harbor."**

Further down the harbor? Kali's brow furrowed. Why would he have left her at the only city in the harbor and then sailed somewhere else that wasn't the ship?

 **"What exactly do you do on a Fire Navy ship?"** the tavern keeper's voice had gone from warm to suspicious.

 **"I cook and clean…and entertain sometimes,"** she added, thinking of her Pai Sho games with Uncle, **"I'm…not a regular member of the crew. I just needed a ride to the same place they're going and this was the fastest way to get there."**

She looked around nervously, hoping they believed her. Some of the faces stayed suspicious or uncertain but the tavern keeper's eyes cleared a little as she looked Kali up and down, noting the lack of a Fire Nation uniform.

**"I've seen that prince around here a couple of times now. Seems like pain in the ass to work for. And you really want to get back to that ship?"**

Kali looked at her mutely then nodded uncertainly as the door behind her swung open.

**"Has anyone seen a tall, dark-haired girl, bandana, nice smil-hey!"**

She looked behind her as Obi and Garron ran up to her.

 **"We've been looking all over the place for you! General Iroh sent us when dinnertime had come and gone and you and the prince hadn't returned. Jee ended up having to cook and to make things worse we're missing Music Night!"** exclaimed Garron.

 **"Are you alright, Kali?"** asked Obi, looking concerned.

 **"I'm okay,"** she responded, relieved, startled and uncomfortable at seeing them all at once. After a few minutes of explanation and some thank you's on her part to the men that had pulled her out of the water, she followed Obi and Garron back to the ship, her feet dragging as she did so, unable to shake the uneasiness away. Back on the ship, she sat quietly, eating the half-done food Jee had cooked and listening to Uncle play a beautiful, sad tune on the Tsungi horn. The relief he'd expressed in seeing her and the quick hug he'd given her had only made her feel worse. That night, for the first time since well before she'd been separated from Masami, a few hot tears slid down her face as she lay waiting for sleep. Hours passed before she finally managed it, her head filled with colliding thoughts of Masami far away from her, Uncle and the crew here, the ocean, and the missing Prince Zuko and where he could be.

Waking early the next morning, she went as usual to bring the prince his breakfast. He wasn't there. And neither were his swords.


	5. Turn that frown upside down! You've captured that Avatar!

Having recovered from their recent bout of illness and theft, thank you Momo, the group lounged by the river on a mild day. The water lapped at the shore while Jet and Sokka stalked a particularly obnoxious fish that Sokka was convinced had been mocking them for hours.

" **He's taunting us! You're so going to be dinner!"** Sokka cried, grabbing his net. He made towards the water only to discover that the fishing line was no longer on the rod. **"Hey! Where's the fishing line?!"** He asked, frantically searching the pole like he'd missed it.

Aang pushed himself off the ground from his former place on the ground. **"Oh, I didn't think you would need it, Sokka."** Aang admitted, slightly sheepishly. He held up what was once fishing line that now looked a lot like a necklace. Masami smirked and looked sideways at Katara who it seemed also found this slightly amusing.

" **Aahh, it's all tangled!"** Sokka grossed, watching Aang make his way towards Masami.

" **Not tangled, Sokka. It's woven."** Aang corrected as he knelt in front of the girls, looking at Masami with a slightly bashful expression. **"I made it for you."** He said, glancing at the necklace, then to the ground and slowly back up to her face. She felt the edges of her mouth turn upwards.

" **Thank you, Aang, it's beautiful."** She bit her lip slightly as her fingers reached out to trace the woven line. She moved her hair away so he could tie it around her neck. Katara gave Jet a knowing look that he returned and they both smiled. Sokka, on the other hand was not nearly as amused or fond of the sentiment.

" **Great, Aang. Maybe instead of saving the world you can go into the jewelry making business."** Sokka snapped. Unphased, Aang replied,

" **I don't see why I can't do both."** Aang chirped happily, as Masami dropped her curls to their more normal resting place. She smiled, **"Do I look okay?"** She didn't wear a lot of jewelry, so she was always slightly unsure of herself in that regard. She ducked her head for a moment, Aang nodding swiftly with a large smile,

" **Yeah! You look good! You always do, I mean-I yeah! You do."** Aang studdered with a blush. Masami looked at him, her lip going between her teeth again as she smile. They both sat in silence until they heard a splash, and Masami snorting lightly as she heard Sokka scream in the background; breaking the slightly sweet moment they were having.

 **"** **Stop taunting me!"** Aang and Masami looked up to see Sokka pulling his knife from his pocket as he decended into the water. Katara looked up as Jet came to sit near them,

" **Should you go with him?"** Aang asked, looking at Jet curiously.

" **And miss the show? I don't think so."** Jet responded with a smirk. The show, as Jet called it was quite the spectacle. Sokka went back and forth with the large, green fish but in the end he came out of the water fishless, the fish still jumping in the background. He looked at the two couples, or what would appear to be couples and made a face.

 **"Smoochie, smoochie, someone's in love."** He made a face at them, and dropped to the ground. Katara scolded him as Masami and Aang both blushed and looked at their hands. Everyone looked up when a scream echoed from behind some bolders. They got to their feet, making a break for it. Aang propelled himself onto of a large rock, and he cried,

" **Someone's being attacked by a platypus bear!"**

* * *

 

The tale of the Blue Spirit soon spread all around the Earth Kingdom until it became legendary. People all over wondered who the Blue Spirit really was, what his motives were, and whether he actually existed. While the rest of the crew of the Shoeboat came up with many theories, Kali kept quiet about it, smiling inwardly. She'd learned who the Blue Spirit was the morning after Zuko had ditched her on the dock. Having left his breakfast in his room, she'd set about her usual morning tasks. Uncle had taken his Tsungi horn outside, appreciating the cool morning air. She had just gone to retrieve a fresh supply of tea leaves for Uncle's second cup of the morning when she'd passed Zuko by in the hallway. The dark circles under his eyes had been darker than usual and in his hands he'd been carrying what appeared to be a bundle of dark black clothes. And beneath the clothes, though she'd only seen the bundle for a few moments before he'd quickly brushed past her, she'd seen them. The swords. And something else. Something with a hard edge and a glint of blue.

Zuko as the Blue Spirit. She pondered the idea as she walked to the closet. He was having her mop. AGAIN. He must really want to keep me busy, she thought, wondering if he'd noticed her observe the swords that day. The least he could have done was pick a chore I didn't spend half of yesterday doing.

She groaned inwardly as she opened the little door. It was a tiny room, barely big enough for one person to fit in comfortably. In it were a series of mops, brooms, pails, and other such things. Her tools. She heard footsteps and looked up to see Zuko coming down the hall. She returned his scowl and pulled out a pail and mop.

**"May I ask, prince, how you managed to get the ship so dirty in so short of a time that I'm mopping it for the second day in a row?"**

He raised his eyebrow as she leaned on the mop in front of the closet. **"You're mopping it again because I ordered you too. I don't have to explain myself to you,"** he gave her the particularly dark scowl she'd started to identify as reserved for her, **"I suggest you get to work."**

He turned to leave.

That would have been the end of the conversation and she would have begun her mopping then, had not the mop still been damp. Proving her point, it was still wet from the previous mopping, as was the pail. Both had leaked a thin layer of water onto the floor beside her. So when Prince Zuko turned to leave, he naturally managed to step on the wet spot. And, because, evidently, the universe hated both of them, the ship shifted at that moment causing him to slip and fall toward her, facing her as he did so. They then fell back into the closet that was only big enough for one person to fit in comfortably. And, just because the universe REALLY hated them (she blamed Zuko for the additional bad luck), the door slammed shut and locked behind them. So they stood, crammed face-to-face in the tiny room, barely able to move, and unable to leave. Realizing they were trapped as she tried the knob unsuccessfully, Kali groaned.

" **You know, your Highness, this wouldn't have happened if you hadn't ordered me to mop again."**

* * *

 

Hustling past the boulders, the group comes upon a huge platypus bear swinging its claws and bearing it's teeth at a small man. Masami hadn't ever actually seen one of these up close, they didn't live on Kyoshi. The bear was huge! But all that aside, the man seemed not at all bothered about his life being threatened.

" **Well, hello there. Nice day, isn't it?"** The man said conversationally, looking at the group while he some how managed to dodge blows from the bear that were aimed at his face.

 **"** **Make noise, it'll run off!"** Aang cried, trying to get the man to listen.

" **No, play dead, he'll lose interest!"** Sokka shouted behind Aang. Seemingly ignoring them, the man still stood before the bear, bobbing and weaving to avoid being mauled.

" **Whoa! Close one!"** The man laughed. Masami hadn't ever seen any sort of altered mental state this bad, but this was terrifying.

 **"** **Run down hill, then climb a tree!"** Katara howled, but the man wouldn't listen.

 **"** **No, punch him in the bill! And then run in zigzags!"** Jet bellowed, but the man was not moving.

"No need. It's going to be fine." The man reinterated happily. Masami closed her eyes as Aang jumped off his rock and put himself between the bear and the stranger.

" **Aang, no!"** Masami started, but Aang was already trying to airbend the creature away. Momentarily knocked off balance, the bear faltered, but lunged at Aang. Aang prepared to airbend again, but there was no need. Appa had flown into the picture, and knocked the bear sideways with a large paw. The bear toppled over, and quickly scurried off into the woods again, yelping like some sort of injured canine.

" **Lucky for you we came along."** Jet said as they ran to join Aang and the old man.

" **He's right, you're insane!"** Masami snapped, running her hand over Aang's shoulder, looking for injuries. **"If that bear had hurt him, you'd be in big trouble"** She threatened, but was satisfied that Aang was overall uninjured.

 **"** **Thanks, but everything was already under control. Not to worry, Aunt Wu predicted I'd have a safe journey."** The old man told them, Masami gave him a skeptical look.

" **Aunt who?"** Aang asked curiously, the former danger forgotten.

 **"** **No, Aunt Wu. She's the fortuneteller from my village. Awful nice knowing your future."** They were informed.

" **Oh good."** Masami whispered, she was not sure she would let someone tell her that everything would be alright and then still believe them after getting attacked by a bear. Safe trip or not, one false move and that could have been it. She preferred to not let someone else make her luck for her; if it was all the same to anyone else.

 **"** **The fortuneteller was wrong! You didn't have a safe journey, you were almost killed!"** Sokka insisted. Masami was glad she wasn't the only one who thought this was all sort of weird.

 **"** **But I wasn't. All right, have a good one! Oh, and Aunt Wu said if I met any travelers to give them this."** He handed Katara a long package, and as soon as he appeared, he was gone.

" **Weirdo."** Jet griped as he inspected the package. Out of curiousity, Masami and Katara helped each other tear into it as Jet held it. It appeared to be an umbrella. Odd.

" **Maybe we should go see Aunt Wu and learn our fortunes. It could be fun."** Katara spoke up after a moment. Masami hadn't ever considered it, but she wasn't completely opposed.

 **"** **Oh come on, fortunetelling is nonsense."** Sokka on the other hand, was not at all swayed.

Seemingly as soon as Sokka stopped speaking, the sky darkens and the clouds let out a small monsoon. The girls scramble under the umbrella as Jet hands it to them. He holds his crowbar over his head, Aang makes himself an air umbrella and Sokka held up boomerang.

" **That proves it."** Katara decides, and the group starts walking.

 **"** **No it doesn't – you can't really tell the future."** Sokka tries to reason, holding his boomerang over his head.

" **I guess you're not really getting wet then."** Katara adds with a snide smile.

 **"** **Of course she predicted it was gonna rain. The sky's been gray all day."** Sokka moped.

 **"** **Just admit you might be wrong and you can come under the umbrella."** Masami smirked, watching the siblings go back and forth.

 **"Look, I'm going to predict the future now. It's going to keep drizzling."** Sokka snipped with an arm flourish. Just as the words left his mouth, the rain stopped.

 **"Not everyone has the gift, Sokka."** Aang added, smiling. Masami sniffed in amusement. As Sokka stopped to retort, Appa shook his fur clean and got Sokka drenched further and his arguments stopped there.

* * *

 

Kali had been wrong about the closet. It wasn't even big enough for one person to fit in it comfortably. And now there were two people crunched in it, one of them wearing rather hard armor.

The prince attempted to firebend his way out, the fire flashing on and off, leaving her seeing spots. Neither of them could really move and the firebending wasn't very effective consequently. Still, it was pretty hot.

" **Ahh! Stop!"** she cried out, **"You're going to burn us both!"**

**"If you'd move out of my way, maybe I'd actually be able to bend us out!"**

She rolled her eyes in the darkness.

**"I'd love to obey that order, sir, but unfortunately I can't. There's no room. I can barely move at all."**

Just to make a point, she wobbled her head what little she could and wiggled her arms and legs where she could. She heard and felt him as he struggled to make more space between them and was about to say something when he attempted to lunge backwards. The air was knocked out of her as she was slammed even more against the closet wall and Kali's face turned hard as she felt something stab her in a rather private area.

 **"That'd better be your armor down there,"** she growled at him fiercely. The prince stiffened and, even in the dark, she could sense his uneasiness.

 **"Of course it's my armor,"** he growled back.

 **"Good,"** she replied, **"Because it's awfully sharp and painful. I'd pity any girl who had to deal with it if it wasn't."**

He adjusted back to his previous position abruptly and she breathed a sigh of relief right up until she realized that even though he had shifted back to his former position, something had definitely changed. And it wasn't his armor.

 **"Well what now, 'sir'? I suppose we'd better call for help, hadn't we?"** she said tersely. There was a long silence as both of them squirmed, trying to find a way to remedy the new addition to their discomfort. Finally, he managed, in a slightly more strained voice than usual (which was saying something),

**"Yeah, I guess."**

* * *

 

The trek into the village was a peaceful one. The showers held off, so the girls were able to take down the umbrella. Jet and Aang walked side by side, chatting, the girls and Momo just head of them. Sokka walked alone behind the groups, sulking and being tailed by Appa. As they crossed into town, Appa lazed behind the walls along with Momo. The group headed straight for what appeared to be the Fortuneteller's residence.  
 **  
"** **Aunt Wu is expecting you."** The man out front informed them, pulling the door open.

 **"** **Really?"** Katara asked, excitedly. Sokka made a disgruntled sound behind them. They were greeted by a small girl with out of control hair, and a gap in her teeth.

 **"** **My name is Meng and I'm Aunt Wu's assistant."** She informed them, while eyeing Aang with interest. Masami wasn't blind, and that look she gave him made her unsettled. The group all piled onto the pillows in a line. Jet sat on one, Katara sitting in front of him as his legs bracketed her. Aang dropped to the middle pillow, and Sokka to the last. Masami walked pointedly around Sokka, and placed herself on Aang's pillow. Meng seemed unfazed.

 **"** **Well hello there."** She said, getting closer to Aang.

 **"** **Hello."** He said with disinterest, his nose more interesting then the other girl.

 **"** **Can I get you some tea, or some of Aunt Wu's special bean curd puffs?"** She asked Aang, and only Aang.

 **"** **I'll try a curd puff."** Sokka chirped.

" **Just a second-"** She held up her finger in Sokka's face. She got close to Aang again, and Masami bristled at her before she could speak,

" **Pretty sure a** _ **customer**_ **just asked you for something that you offered us. Might want to go get that."** Masami tried to keep the edge out of her voice, but it was there. Aang didn't notice, and neither of the other males commented. But Katara noticed and smiled lightly. The girl seemed just miffed enough to go away for the time being.

 **"** **I can't believe we're here in the house of nonsense."** Sokka added after a moment of silence.

 **"** **Try to keep an open mind, Sokka. There are things in this world that just can't be explained. Wouldn't it be nice to have some insight into your future?"** Katara reasoned.

 **"It would be nice to have some bean curd puffs.** " Was Sokka's only response. The pigtailed miscreant turned the corner as he spoke. Sokka looked pleased, but his pleasure was cut short by someone exiting Aunt Wu's room and stopping Meng to talk. As she approached the group, she nearly fell on Aang, but he put his hands out to stop her. Embarrassed, she told them to enjoy her food and ran off behind the wall again. Sokka snatched the puffs and began to devour them as Aunt Wu came out from her room.

" **Welcome young travelers. Now, who's next? Don't be shy**." Katara started to get up, but then looked at Masami,

" **Why don't you go? I sort of want to have some puffs before I take a turn."** Masami nodded, rising to her feet.

" **Okay, if you're sure."** She was glad to be getting out of this room; she needed time to think.

* * *

 

They had shouted loudly, calling for someone from the crew to help them. Over and over again, they'd yelled and screamed at the top of their lungs (though neither of them was willing to literally scream). Still, nobody came. Finally, tired, their voices hoarse, they'd fallen silent.

Zuko breathed hard, staring up, even though it made little difference. He couldn't see her anyway. Not that seeing her was the problem. She was pressed up so tightly against him…he knew she must feel it too.

Zuko had little experience dealing with this problem. Up until recently, he'd spent little time around women since his banishment from the Fire Nation. And then Kali'd arrived. At first he'd thought little of it, apart from being annoyed at Uncle's insistence at keeping her aboard and his daily praise of her cooking. But the longer she'd been with them, the more he'd begun to recognize the effects of having someone who was…not a man around. Now he was sweating hard and wishing he hadn't been too embarrassed to listen to Uncle's advice the time he'd coerced Zuko into a conversation about restraining the _"great dragon below."_ Realizing he was breathing through his mouth now, he closed it and tried to concentrate on thinking of a way to get out of the increasingly uncomfortable situation he was in.

**"So, any new ideas about how to get us out of here, your Highness?"**

He scowled.

 **"No,"** he replied hoarsely, **"Maybe you should try coming up with some since it's your fault we're in here in the first place."**

**"My fault?! You're the one who fell into me!"**

**"I wouldn't have slipped if you hadn't gotten the floor wet right where I was walking!"**

**"Well it wouldn't have been wet if you weren't making up chores for me to do just to keep me busy!"**

He paused then muttered **, "Maybe if you weren't determined to make things harder for me once we find the Avatar, I wouldn't give you so much work to do."**

He winced inwardly. Her making _"things harder for him"_ had not been the best choice of words. He felt and heard her shift slightly. Was she trying look away from him too?

**"Well, you didn't have to take me on as a crewmember. Why keep me on if you're so anxious to have me out of the way?"**

The question hung in the air between them until he finally sighed heatedly, inadvertently lighting their faces briefly.

 **"I don't know,"** he said. Then the silence returned.

* * *

 

Masami was nervous, she didn't know what was going to happen in here. She sat in front of the table, looking at the woman over it as she sat down. She didn't know what she was supposed to do, but the woman seemed to be able to sense that.

" **You have a complexity about you."** She smiled, knowingly. Masami fidgeted,

" **Don't you tell the future?"** She asked, confused.

" **My gift presents itself in different ways depending on the person. I see a lot of water around you; turbulent waters in some parts but calm parts in others. There is fire and also a breeze but the breeze and the fire are around the calm waters; interesting. The waters and the breeze are someone, or someones; any idea who they might mean?"** She asked, ducking her chin. **"If I know better what I'm looking at, I can tell you what lies ahead.** " Should she say? She had ideas, of course she did.

" **My parents, and most of my village really, were killed in a flood. I survived, along with a few other families who managed to stay on the rooftop we were put on."** She started, thinking she heard something outside the door but she figured it was just Meng. Little did she know, it was actually Aang.

" **The fire is probably my sister. Well, she's my half-sister. Kali. And the breeze could mean one of the people I travel with now, he's sort of taken Kali's place as my…I don't know what he is, but he keeps me calm when I'm not. Kali does that too."** She didn't know what Aang was, not at all. But she knew he brought her comfort. Aunt Wu nodded, taking what the girl said in.

" **Well, all I see makes sense now. Beyond the blazing, squally waters I see green fields, trees with much wind. I get an easy feeling from it, but know that there is a dark spell in the middle of it, very dark. Beyond what gloom you've faced before. But if you can cross the bad; the good will be there for you on the other side."** Aunt Wu informed her. She could take it for what it was worth, but she'd been right about pretty much any impression she had gotten and that was enough for Masami. She smiled, thanked her, and pushed herself to her feet.

On the other side of the door, Aang bolted out of the hallway and took a seat where he had been. He smiled at her as she rejoined them, and she ducked her head, smiling too.

* * *

 

Kali was getting very anxious and she could tell the prince was too. They'd been here for a long time now. A LONG TIME...and she REALLY needed to visit the little girls' room. Very much so. By now, neither of them was able to move anything well at all (what little was available for movement) due to cramped muscles. At least Zuko's "addition" had eventually faded with time, but that had only done so much to improve things since they were still trapped like frozen statues in the dark.

Tentatively, she decided to break the tension again. Since they were stuck here anyway, what harm was there in small talk? They'd been quiet for the majority of the time and frankly, the silence was getting on her nerves at this point. She was tired of awkward thoughts like " _Zuko actually smells really good…like a campfire"_ and _"I really wish his hand wasn't trapped right there."_ Besides, she desperately needed a distraction.

 **"So..."** she said, **"How long have you been away from the Fire Nation?"** She waited. The silence stretched on and she rolled her eyes. Sure it wasn't the best subject, but she hadn't been able to think of a better one. She had just given up on any reply when the answer came.

**"Almost 3 years now."**

"… **That's a long time."**

Silence returned. Finally, she stopped caring.

" **Why the Avatar?**

" **What?"**

" **Why do you have to capture the Avatar?"** Sure she already knew. But she was curious to hear it from him. There was another pause.

" **I've lost something. Capturing the Avatar is the only way to get it back."**

" **What'd you lose?"**

" **I've lost my honor."**

" **Well, where did you last see it?"** It was a terrible joke and she knew it. She wasn't sure why she'd made it. It had just been the first thing that'd popped into her head.

" **Sorry,"** she said sheepishly, **"That was…a really stupid thing to say."**

" **Yes it was."**

Katara was the next to go in to see Aunt Wu, then Jet, and lastly Aang. Sokka still had no interest in what was going on behind the closed door. When Aang came out, he seemed as pleased as everyone else. Masami was glad they had done this, though she was skeptical at first it had been fun. Despite the slightly ominous tones there was hope in the words too. It felt for once that she was going to be okay, and that was what mattered. Her Grandfather had always told her and Kali that with life came both good and bad, and you could never have one without the other; and Masami had seen that time and time again so she knew it to be true.

As the group disembarked from Aunt Wu, the males went off to find them a place to stay indoors for the night rather then staying on Appa so she and Katara went to look for some things for dinner.

" **What did Aunt Wu tell you? If you don't mind me asking."** Katara asked as they were picking through produce.

" **She told me about my past, which surprised me. She knew about my home getting flooded. And she told me there was some darkness ahead but if I got through it I would have a good life."** She said with a smile; upon reflection Masami knew she probably could have asked more and gotten a little more out of her visit but it didn't really make a difference now. **"What did she tell you?"** She asked with a cock of her head.

" **She said I had found lasting love, and that I should cherish it."** Katara sighed with a dreamy expression. Masami smiled, slightly envious of her friend but not in a serious way. She was happy that she had found Jet.

" **Did Aunt Wu mention anyone like that to you?"** Katara asked, smiling like she knew something Masami didn't.

" **What? Um. Well. Not directly."** She hadn't, really. But then she had at the same time because of the "breeze" that kept showing up in her visions for Masami.

" **Was it Aang?"** Katara pressed. Ma'sami smiled nervously still, nodding slightly. **"That's so great! I knew it."** Her words again caught Masami off guard.

" **Knew what?!"** She stammered.

" **That it would happen. He's happy with you, I can tell."** Katara knew him better then Masami did, so whatever she was saying it must be true. **"I shouldn't tell you this but I think he went to listen when you had your fortune told. He's not nosy, he just…is curious I guess. We all are to be completely honest. You're a little bit of an enigma you know."** Masami hadn't really thought about it; but she guessed she must sort of be. Jet had told them about his life, Katara and Sokka had lived through a lot being siblings who were obviously close. And then Aang was slightly more forthcoming; and she knew about his discovering he was the Avatar. So in truth Katara was right, she hadn't offered up anything about herself to this point save for a little bit about Kali.

" **I don't mean to be."** Masami said after a moment, **"Is there something you want to know?"** She asked as they walked. Before Katara could answer, there was a slight gust to their front and the sound of wood clicking as Aang closed his glider and landed before them.

" **Hi! We found a place to stay, I'll show…I'm interrupting something."** He noticed. Katara and Masami both shook their heads but Katara beat Masami to speaking,

" **Not at all, we were just about to talk about where Masami was from; you can join us while you show us where to go. Yeah?"** The last part was directed at Masami rather then at Aang.

" **Yeah."** Masami answered, smiling nervously still.

* * *

 

 **"What makes him the key to you getting it back?"** she whispered, feeling her voice straining still from their last attempt to call for help (they'd tried several times now). For a long time he didn't answer and she thought she might have pushed her luck too far.

**"I was banished for disrespecting my father…and he commanded that I bring him the Avatar…to prove my worth and restore my honor. My father is…teaching me a lesson."**

The way he said it frightened her. He sounded almost as if he truly believed the punishment to be just. She tried to think of a good response. None came.

" **That sounds…really shitty…uh, prince. Your father's…really extreme…with his lessons."**

Silence.

" **I'm sorry."**

More time passed and the two of them stood perfectly still, unable to squirm anymore, in spite of the fact that both of them were likely equally desperate to escape at this point.

" **Thank you."**

It came out of nowhere.

" **What?"** she asked.

" **I said thank you…for saving my life. In the storm."**

They fell silent again. Then,

" **You're welcome."**

Suddenly, the door behind Zuko was flung open. Light flooded the closet blinding them and they tumbled out to the sound of rumbling laughter as two of the crew looked down at them.

**"Hey everybody, come have a look at this!"**

The other members of the crew and Uncle gradually all came rushing in as they were summoned by Adar and Garron.

**"Ha ha, well what do we have here?!"**

**"I guess the prince decided he needed some relaxation and fun for a change!"**

**"Convince him to give you a break from all the mopping, Kali?"**

**"Now there's the best way to kiss up to someone!"**

**"With the armor on and everything! What a way to go!"**

**"Must have been pretty hard on ya, eh?"**

**"I have always said tea is the best cure for soothing the nerves, but I suppose that might work too."**

Both of them struggled to move from their previous positions amidst the chortling and jokes but found their strained, cramped muscles uncooperative. Motivation got the best of them in the end and they were soon sprinting/tripping down the hallway together, headed for the nearest bathrooms.

* * *

 

Masami wasn't sure where to start, and didn't want to bore her friends by talking too much about herself. She sighed, **"Well, I came from a village a little ways from Kyoshi Island if you know where that is. There we had a real problem with monsoons. When I was a kid, there was a really bad one. Most of us stayed on the roof of our houses to we wouldn't wash away. But, it didn't save a lot of people. Some couldn't get up there in time or, like my parents, went to help someone else and lost their balance. I didn't see it happen or anything, someone told me later. After that, I went to live on Kyoshi with my Papi; Mum's father, and Kali; my sister."** She was specific but still general enough. The conversation took up enough time for them to find the house they were allotted for the night.

The girls made dinner, and the groups settled into their respective positions for sleeping. The room was just really a small kitchen area, the eating area, and a sitting area where they unfolded their cots. There were 2 cots at their disposal; Katara and Jet squeezed onto one since they didn't have their sleeping bags. While being a frump Sokka thought to go get his. Then, Masami and Aang were left looking at the other one.

" **You take it, I'll be fine."** Aang assured with a smile but Masami shook her head,

" **We sleep on Appa's tail together, and have shared a bed before; why sleep on the floor now?"** Were this anyone else but Aang she would have jumped at the chance for the space to herself but being those things already were the case she found it silly to try to separate now. She tossed her coat onto the ground and slipped off her shoes as she crawled onto the cot. She felt Aang slid in behind her, and it didn't take much for her to fall asleep.

Sometime in the night she'd turned over, and was facing Aang. She had her head on his shoulder and her arm on his chest when she woke up. She blinked in the sunlight and she started to sit up but faltered as she saw he was already awake and seemed to be staring at her. She blushed and ducked her head.

" **Hey."** He said with a small smile and a groggy tone. She bit her lip,

" **Hey."** She echoed. Their quiet was broken by Sokka throwing open the door, screaming something about clouds.

" **What?"** Aang asked, turning his head without sitting up.

" **While you two lovebirds were spooning, I went out to get something to eat. Then, there were people gathered in the square for a cloud reading and the crazy old lady said that because of some hooky cloud thing that there would be no way that the volcano looming over them would take out the village. So THEN, I started asking around and people are so stupid here! They'll find love because of SHOES THEY WERE EVERY DAY. Or FLOWERS. It's ridiculous. I can't handle this town anymore, we need to go. But, wait! We can't! Because Katara and Jet are getting their fortune told TOGETHER today! So we have to wait for them!"** Sokka ranted, without taking a breath before he collapsed into a chair at the table, angrily munching a bit of meat on a stick.

" **You're a very angry person."** Masami said from her perch on Aang's chest. Aang smirked, and that seemed to really only add fuel to the fire as Sokka continued to eat.

After the "lovebirds" finally got off the cot and got ready for the day, Katara and Jet returned. The girls set out to do a little shopping; girl talk as Sokka rightly pointed out because Katara was practically gushing to have someone to tell about her second reading with Aunt Wu, and the guys were left to their own devices. That being said, Aang and Jet decided they needed osme of those panda lilies to take back to the girls for dinner; so the group was at present climbing the steep ledges to the volcano.

" **I can't believe you two are dragging me up here for a stupid flower."** Sokka groused as he and Jet struggled to keep up with the agile airbender.

" **It's not just any flower, it's a Panda Lily!"** Aang informed him as he stopped and turned. **"I've seen it in action, and boy does it work!"**

" **Flowers are fine once you're married, but at this early stage you don't want to show all your hand; be mysterious!"** Sokka tried to argue, nearly loosing his grip on a boulder before Jet caught his elbow. **"You don't even really have a girlfriend, so I still don't know why we're doing this."**

" **Doesn't have a girlfriend? They sleep on Appa's tail together, Sokka."** Jet reminded flatly.

" **Does she know how he feels? No; a flower isn't going to change that."** Sokka shot back. Aang awkwardly tried not to think about their conversation; as it was about him but he was not involved.

" **It's what I want to do, Sokka."** Aang finally spoke up, **"Aunt Wu said if I trusted my heart, I would be with the one I love."** He said simply. Jet smiled, Sokka made a face.

" **Not you too."** Sokka started, Aang cut him off.

" **Aunt Wu hasn't been wrong yet; why should she be wrong about love?"** The group continued to climb for a ways. **"There! On the rim!"** Aang shouted, jumping ahead again easily. As the other two reached him though, his face was no longer joyful.

" **Aunt Wu was wrong…"** They said in unison as they watched Aang's picked flower fall towards the molten liquid before them.

* * *

 

In the end, Zuko had been forced to order them not to make any more jokes. After he and Kali had relieved themselves and then recovered from what had turned out to be a nearly five hour event in the closet, they'd been constantly tormented by the crew, as well as Uncle. Non-stop jokes about her lighting Zuko's fire and how that explained the screaming they'd thought they'd heard.

What was even worse for Kali was that Zuko blamed it all on her. Somehow, in that strange, confused, angry mind of his, he'd twisted it around and convinced himself that it was completely her fault. That she might have even done it on purpose for some strange reason. She supposed after spending so many weeks on the same ship as him, she shouldn't have been surprised by this. But she had been. They'd had that moment in the closet where he'd actually thanked her for saving him, after days of ignoring it. For just a split second, she'd actually sort of liked him. Silly her.

Her workload was heavier than ever now, even forcing her to work during a few Music Nights. Kali still pondered their brief conversation sometimes. But mostly, she focused on finding ways of subtly annoying the prince as a means of revenge.

One Music Night, as she was lamenting over the work she'd have to do instead of joining in the fun, she suddenly had a great idea. It was in no way subtle. But tonight, she didn't care. She smiled to herself as she finished stirring the noodles.

* * *

 

" **Those people all think they're safe! We've got to warn them!"** Sokka cried, getting to his feet.

" **There's no time to walk, grab on!"** Aang asserted as he shook his glider open. Jet grabbed onto Aang as he started to take off and they doubled back to grab Sokka, who shouted in a rather unmasculine fashion.

Down below, the girls walked through the market arm in arm as Katara recited all that Aunt Wu had told her about the future for Jet and herself. Suddenly, the stories stopped when they were nearly knocked onto the ground by the weight of Sokka letting go of Aang and the glider too soon.

" **What, Sokka?!"** Katara snapped angrily.

" **Aunt Wu was wrong!"** He stated, trying to get his breath. Masami made a face,

" **Why is that?"** She asked skeptically. Aang and Jet then joined the group.

" **The volcano is going to erupt!"** Aang cried, the girls were not overly convinced but glanced at the volcano anyhow just as the ground beneath them shook.

" **Oh no…"** Katara cried as a cloud billowed out of the volcano. The group made their way to the town square where the cloud reading had taken place.

" **Everyone! We have to evacuate this town, the volcano is going to blow any time now!"** Sokka cried, everyone looked unamused,

" **Yeh, yeh, we know you don't believe in Aunt Wu, "Mr. Science and Reason Lover."** A woman in the front returned. So, Katara stepped up,

" **If you won't listen to him, maybe you'll listen to me. I want to believe Aunt Wu and her predictions as much as you do, but my brother, Jet and Aang saw the lava with their own eyes."** Katara tried to get them to listen, but it was also to no avail.

" **Well I heard Aunt Wu's prediction with my own ears."** A man in the front sassed back. Masami furrowed her brow, why were these people so complacent and willing to lose everything?

" **Why are you so stubborn? Are you seriously about to lose everything because of a lady who can tell you about your love life? If you don't listen to us now, there won't be room for your love life! Take it from someone who has lost everything to a natural disaster, it's nothing to be taken lightly."** She figured maybe a personal anecdote would help, but it didn't. Aang bended himself onto the roof of Aunt Wu's house, and tried once more to reason with the group but his pleading fell on deaf ears. As he landed back on the earth, the ground shook again as another explosion went off behind them.

" **Look! Can your fortunetelling explain that?"** Sokka cried to a passer by.

 **"** **Can your science explain why it rains?"** The man shot back, which made Sokka mad.

 **"** **Yes! Yes, it can!"** The Water Tribe boy snapped as he turned away from the man. The group was left standing in the now empty square.

" **What do we do?"** Jet asked, nearly wringing his hands. Masami shook her head, but Aang seemed to have an idea.

" **I say we change the clouds to make them the right** _ **shape**_ **for these people to believe us, then we get them out! We have waterbenders after all, and what are clouds if not giant watery things in the sky!"**

" **I don't think that's the technical word for it, but I can work with that. Aang go get the cloud book, and meet the rest of us at Appa!"** Sokka turned the group to head for the bison while Aang hopped onto the roof and in through an open skylight.

* * *

 

Kali walked down to Zuko's room, carrying his plate. It'd taken some extra time to fix the noodles today but they'd turned out nice. She strolled into his room casually without knocking just the way he hated for her to do and set the plate down. He had been meditating and, consequently, looked up at her with his usual especially dark scowl. Surprisingly enough, though, he said nothing, content to simply glare at her fiercely as she turned her back to him.

After a moment of angrily glaring at the door still, he turned and looked down at his plate. Staring back up at him was a face with an arrow on its head. The Avatar smiled at him with an overwhelmingly cheerful noodle smile. Next to his face, written neatly in spices, were the words, _**"Turn that frown upside down! You've captured that Avatar!"**_

Kali smirked from where she stood behind the door as she heard the angry **"ARRRRREERRRRR!"** and the sound of exploding fire and a smashed plate. She was going to be in big trouble, but it was completely worth it, she thought as she hastily ran back toward the kitchen.

* * *

 

Once Aang had the book, he returned to the group. For whatever reason, he seemed a little fixed on Masami more then usual with his gazes, and when she would look back, he would smile. She'd question it later, right now wasn't the time. As the book was passed between the waterbenders, they all stood in the saddle so they could start the bending. The book was then passed off to Jet so he could help Sokka steer Appa in a way that would assist the benders.

Masami hadn't ever thought about using water in clouds before, but she would admit it was fun. Albeit a little scary when Sokka would turn the bison sharply and it would feel like she would lose her balance completely, but she never did. She did her part to keep the shape of the waterbending forms she saw the others doing, and soon enough they had the shape done. Up close it didn't look like much, but once they were on the ground, the skull they had made ominously looked back at them with hollowed eyes. As they landed the bison, Sokka ran off to fetch Aunt Wu while everyone else readied for the next part of the mission.

Once in the town square, Sokka pointed at the sky. **"** **Aunt Wu, look! Something is happening in the clouds."**

 **"** **That's very strange. It shouldn't... Oh my!"** She cried, and it seemed alarm everyone else. That was a much better reaction, Masami thought to herself.

 **"** **We can still save the village if we act fast. Sokka has a plan."** Aang declared,

 **"** **Lava is gonna flow downhill to this spot. If we can dig a deep enough trench we can channel all the lava away from the village to the river."** Sokka motioned with his hands as he spoke, and he started to grab shovels to hand out to people, himself and Jet included.

 **"** **If any of you are earthebenders come with me."** Aang yelled over his shoulder as he ran off towards the mountain. A cluster of people followed after him. Masami and Katara were handed shovels to get digging along with the other non-earthbenders.

Digging was not easy, and Masami hoped that the village hadn't come around too late. She strained her shoulders as she threw her back into digging along side some of the other people from the village. She looked over her shoulder as she heard Sokka shout, and she put her back into it all the more. This would have been easier with more earthbenders and more time but that wasn't an option right now so they had to do the best they could with what they had.

She jumped as a sound behind her got her attention. The twins from the village had finally connected the last of the trenches.

" **Everyone needs to evacuate! We'll come for you when it's safe!"** Aang shouted. Everyone scrambled out of the way, retreating beyond the trees. Masami, Aang, Sokka, Katara and Jet stood in the town, trying to make sure everything was going according to Sokka's plan. But, sadly it didn't appear to be. There was more lava then they had expected.

" **It's too much! It's gonna overflow!"** Katara cried, but Aang wasn't going to let that happen. As a large rock flew out of the volcano, Aang launched himself at it with what almost sounded like a growl. The rest of the group turned to run, but Aang stayed behind. He started making massive air currents that pushed the lava from one side to the next, keeping it away from the town. He was relentless, never pausing for a break as he cooled the lava into more rock. As the stream slowed to a stop, he relaxed and breathed out, pushing his hands down as well.

" **Man, sometimes I forget what powerful bender that kid is."** Sokka said with a tone full of awe. The group nodded, Masami biting her lip and smiling. It wasn't rare she saw Aang bend, but she hadn't ever seen anything like that.

As the town returned, Aang returned the book about the clouds and confessed to having taken it. Aunt Wu wasn't angry, but how could she be? They spared the town. As they were leaving, a man told Sokka that this was how it was supposed to play out, and Katara had to pull him away before he could hurt the man.

The group waved goodbye, and as they were flying off, Masami could have sworn she heard someone call her a floozy; but they were off the ground before she had enough time to think about it overmuch.


	6. I didn't see you get hit with the tongue.

Leaving the Village of Aunt Wu landed the group along the coast. As they landed the bison for a rest, they all disembarked on foot. Jet and Katara walked slightly behind the other three and small chatting was going on between the groups as they all walked along at an idle pace. Aang and Masami stopped near a tree as Aang bent to pick something up.

" **Hey look! A sword made out of a whale's tooth."** Aang observed, picking the sword up to get a better look.

Sokka caught up to them, and grabbed the edge of the sword from Aang's hand, jerking it right passed Masami's head. **"Lemme see that."** He said in lieu of an apology for nearly removing part of Masami's face.

" **This is a water tribe weapon. See if you can find anything else."** Sokka urged, Masami began to look around but she really didn't see anything. It seemed Aang and Sokka were in the same place.

**"** **Did someone lose something?"** Katara asked as she and Jet caught up with the other two.

**"** **No, we found something."** Aang answered from his place of digging around in a prickle bush. Sokka pulled himself up and brushed leaves from his clothes. He held up the weapon so the others could see it, along with an arrow he found while snooping.  
 **  
** **"I** **t's burned."** Jet observed, Sokka nodded. Sokka discarded the arrow and headed towards a tree ahead of him. The tree appeared to be suffering from fire damage.

**"** **There was a battle. Water tribe warriors ambushed a group of firebenders**." Sokka said, tracing and following what happened. Everyone followed behind him, he looked from right to left, and saw clues Masami wouldn't have noticed. He was being an impressive little detective, but she assumed it came with being a warrior.  
 **  
"The firebenders fought back, but the warriors drove them down this hill..."** Sokka took off down the hill, and the group right at his heels. They came through some bushes, and ended up right on the beach.

**"** **So then what happened?"** Aang asked, seeing nothing.

**"** **I don't know. The trail ends here."** Sokka answered sadly, looking at his shoes.

**"** **Wait! Look!"** Katara shouted, bringing Sokka's attention to a boat parked near rocks down the shoreline. It appeared to be a water tribe boat. Masami's thoughts were confirmed when Sokka cried,

" **It's one of our boats!"** The group took off at a run again, stopping when they reached the bow of the ship.

" **Is this... Dad's boat?"** Katara asked, looking the boat over though she sounded slightly unsure.

**"** **No, but it's from his fleet. Dad was here."** Sokka answered, his tone excited.

* * *

 

Zuko hadn't done anything about her noodle designs yet other than yell at her and quite frankly, Kali was concerned. Not adding chores to her ever-growing list seemed strange for him. Hopefully, though, he was just too focused on the Avatar to bother coming up with more creative punishments for her. She already worked late into the night and started early in the morning with all the stuff he had her doing. Honestly, scraping scum and barnacles off the sides of the ship whenever they stopped at port? How was that part of the cook's job? Then again, mopping didn't have much to do with cooking either. She supposed she was really more of a turtle-gopher. The jack of all trades on the ship. At least it might help her get a job easier in the future, she mused, as she carried the tray of tea to Zuko's room.

Uncle smiled as she set the tea down in front of him and Zuko and took a sip from his cup.

" **Ahhh. See, Prince Zuko, a moment of quiet is good for your mental well being."**

Zuko lifted his own cup uncertainly and prepared to take a sip. The next thing Kali knew the ship shuddered and the prince was covered in tea. Zuko growled as Kali smirked slightly, thankfully behind him where he couldn't see her. He and Uncle walked briskly away as she started to work at cleaning up the mess. Then the ship shuddered again, this time even more violently, causing her to fall to her knees. What was happening?! She picked herself up, grabbed the tray and cups, and hastened towards the deck, frightened that the ship might be under some kind of attack.

She yelped in alarm and hit the deck (literally) as a huge chunk of flying metal greeted her on the deck. An enormous mess of matted fur with a rather disturbing, hairless face loomed over the crew, the prince, and Uncle. A shirshu. She'd rarely seen shirshus and frankly she would be content if this could be the last time she saw one.

She heard a shout and the shirshu's tongue shot out from its mouth as a man climbed out of the hole in the deck. A beautiful woman leapt down from the creature. Exchanging some words with Zuko, she hoisted the man, evidently paralyzed by the beast, onto her shoulder and loaded him onto the shirshu. Kali walked up next to Uncle just in time to hear him say, **"Well I'm impressed."**

Then, as the woman rode away, he stroked his chin.

" **Verrry impressed."**

Kali raised her eyebrows slightly at his tone of voice and exchanged skeptical glances with the prince. Kali glanced after the woman uneasily. She'd never much cared for bounty hunters. She looked back at Zuko and frowned as she saw his eyes seem to light up. He looked back at his now damaged ship and then back after the bounty hunter.

Sometime later, she'd just finished taking Uncle's tray from dinner away and giving him his first cup of tea for the evening when Zuko appeared in the doorway, holding what Kali recognized as the Water Tribe girl's necklace.

" **Take your tea with you, Uncle. Tonight, we're going to find the Avatar. And this time, he won't escape."**

* * *

 

A noise to their left gets the group's attention, everyone striking as threatening a pose as they can muster.

" **Who's there?"** Sokka demands. A man in bandages comes around the corner, approaching the group.

**"** **Sokka?"** He asked. Sokka's eyes widened.

**"** **Bato?"** Sokka asked excitedly, approaching him swiftly with Katara at his heels.

" **Bato!"** She cried.

**"** **Sokka! Katara! It is so good to see you two! Oh, you've grown so much."** The man, who was apparently called Bato answered as he caught them both in a side hug. As the rest of the group came slower behind them, Aang bowed to the man and Masami and Jet followed his example.

**"** **Hi, I'm Aang. This is Masami, and Jet."** He said politely. The Warrior nodded but could get no words out before Sokka cut him off.

**"** **Where's Dad?"**

**"I** **s he here?"** Katara asked right after Sokka.

**"** **No, he and the other warriors should be in the eastern Earth Kingdom by now**." Bato answered. The rest of the group stood silently by as the Water Tribe members caught up. Jet seemed a little off kilter by all this, and Masami supposed it was with good reason since he'd never met anyone in or close to Katara's family to this point. A strong blast of wind caught the entire group off guard, and Bato urged them inside.

_**"**_ **Brr! This is no place for a reunion. Let's get inside."** He walked with his arms around the leading two and he motioned for the rest of them to follow. He led them to a monestary a little ways from the boat. Masami looked around as they walked through the gate, it was prettily decorated but simple at the same time. They were lead down a hallway, and through a large set of double doors.

**"** **After I was wounded, your father carried me to this abbey. The sisters have cared for me ever since. Superior, these are Hakoda's children. They've been traveling with the Avatar. I found them by my boat."** Bato told the sisters. When had they told Bato that Aang was the Avatar?

**"** **Young Avatar, it gives me great joy to be in your presence. Welcome to our abbey."** The kind woman said with a smile, and a bow. Aang returned the bow,

**"** **Thank you! It's truly an honor to be here. If there's anything –"** Aang tried to finish his sentence, but Sokka cut him off.

**"** **What smells so good, Bato?"** Sokka cried, sniffing animatedly. Masami made a face as Sokka for cutting off the other conversation. She started to say something, but Aang dismissed her with a smile and a wave.

**"** **The sisters craft ointments and perfumes**." Bato informed the group.

**"** **Perfume? Maybe we could dump some on Appa? Because he stinks so much! Am I right?"** Sokka finished with a flourish. The group didn't think he was as funny as he did.

_**"**_ **You have your father's wit."** Bato mused. The group came through down a hallway as they pushed open another door, Katara cried,

" **Bato! It looks like home!"**

**"** **Everything's here, even the pelts!"** Sokka admonished, touching things as he made his way through the room.

_**"**_ **Yeh, nothing's more comforting than dead animal skins."** Aang whispered as the other three were lead into the room. Masami snorted, but tried to cover it up like she was clearing her throat. They both snuck a glance at Jet; he was looking a little green around the gills. Was he really this nervous? He hadn't said a word. The group flopped down on pelts, while the latter half of the group hung back slightly, not really wanting to look ill at ease, but they weren't exactly being welcomed with open arms.

Katara seemed to keep trying to turn the conversation to the others, but Sokka wasn't having it. He ran his mouth about home, himself, sea prunes and his father. **"When will you see Dad?"** He asked after a while of constantly talking about something else entirely unrelated.

" **I'm expecting a messenger any day now with news of their location. If you can stay long enough to find out, you might can go with me to see your father."** He said with a smile, the news seemed to catch everyone off guard. Jet looked even sicker, and Aang looked a little surprised.

" **We would love to!"** Sokka cried, waving his arms widely, nearly taking out his bowl of food.

" **We have to see Aang to the North Pole, Sokka."** Katara added, but her tone wasn't one where she sounded like she would argue the point for long which bothered Masami. Maybe she didn't have their devotion to their father, but she did have it to friends. Though, in all honesty, she didn't feel like she had an ostrich horse in this race, so she had no right to say anything.

" **I know…but it's Dad. We haven't seen him in two years!"** Sokka tried to argue, and that was true too, but it was conflicting all the same. Bato must have sensed the tension that could come from this discussion right now, so he placated them both,

" **We don't have to discuss this now; we can worry about it in the morning."** A sigh of relief came from the other members of the group not so actively involved in the discussion.

* * *

 

Kali glowered, clenching the tray. Uncle looked slightly ashamed but Zuko ignored her as they headed down to the dock. They had known from the start that the only reason she'd joined their crew was to find her sister. And now, of course, they were leaving her behind. She couldn't really be surprised. But she could still be angry. And she was.

She stormed down to the kitchen, resolving to find a way to follow them. She had a good guess as to where Zuko would be heading, since he was looking for the bounty hunter. Not that she looked forward to locating the "bad side" of any port city but there seemed to be little choice. As she stormed back toward the deck, she hoped the prince hadn't taken any kind of precaution to keep her there. She didn't want to have any trouble with the crew. After a pause of thinking this over, combined with the knowledge that where she was headed wasn't a nice place most likely, she resolved to recover her swords from where they'd been stored since she'd joined the crew. She now had access to a lot of places in the ship she hadn't had when she'd first started, so it didn't take her long to rearm herself. As she closed and relocked the door, however, she heard a voice.

" **Just what are you up to?"**

She started and spun around. Obi was frowning down at her uncertainly, a few steps away. She forced her hand, which had instinctively flown to her swords, to drop to her side.

" **Errr….well…."** she sighed. No good lies were coming to her.

" **I'm going to the…sort of dangerous side of town, I think. I didn't want to go without some protection."**

Obi's face darkened a little.

" **Well then there's no way you should be going alone. Garron and I'll come with you. The prince has us staying here another night anyway and without any orders apart from not leaving the port."**

" **I'm not letting you go alone,"** he added, as she started to protest. She searched his face, trying to decide if he was more concerned about her or about what she was doing. Obi was one of the crew members she had the hardest time picturing being on separate sides from. He'd warmed up to her immediately when she'd first come aboard and had been nothing but kind to her.

" **I guess…if you insist."**

" **Does the prince know you're going ashore?"** he asked as they walked up the stairs together.

" **I'm…not sure if he does or not."**

Obi remained silent until they found his brother. Soon, the three of them were marching down the gangplank and heading briskly toward where Kali thought the seediest bars were most likely to be found. The two men, in spite of their slightly larger strides, hurried to keep up with Kali as she hurried along.

" **Why is it we're here again?"** asked Garron, who hadn't yet noticed Kali's swords dangling by her side.

" **I'm looking for someone,"** Kali said matter-of-factly, her mind racing as she tried to think of a way to ditch her guards.

" **Oh yeah? Who?"**

" **Someone who might be able to help me with a problem."**

" **What kind of problem?"**

These questions were killing her. He'd left her no choice. She'd use the answer that had always worked best on men in the past (although admittedly the men in her life had been very few). She looked up at Garron and made what she hoped was a particularly meek and squeamish face.

" **It's kind of a personal problem. Let's just say…I'm having…lady troubles."**

Garron's face turned ashen and Obi blushed and looked away.

" **Oh."**

Silence followed as all parties in the trio determinedly avoided eye contact with one another, Kali feeling slightly guilty for lying to them while Obi fiddled anxiously with his fingers and Garron pretended to be fascinated by the contents of the frankly seedy alley they had made their way into. Finally Kali spotted what she was looking for, a little ways off from the main strip. The shirshu. It made sense the bounty hunter would keep her beast at a more removed tavern, since shirshus could be easily antagonized and drunken tavern patrons were easily antagonizing. She glanced up at the two firebenders then indicated the nearest building.

" **I need to stop here. Thanks for seeing me here safely. I don't know how long I'll be so you should probably head back to the ship now. I know my way back."**

" **No way,"** said Garron firmly, putting a hand on her shoulder, " **Have you looked around? This place is shadier than a skunkbear's burrow. Stinks as badly too. We'll wait."**

Kali blushed and looked between the two brothers. Obi nodded in agreement with his brother's statement. Reluctantly, she left them standing outside the door of the building and went inside to what she discovered was something of a pawn shop. It reminded her of the pirates' ship where she'd lost Masami.

" **Excuse me, is there a back door to this establishment?"** she asked as politely as she could of the large woman standing behind the counter.

" **We don't want no trouble here,"** growled the woman.

" **Neither do I. It's just that…I think I'm being followed by a man outside and well, you know how it is when you're an attractive lady all alone in a place like this. I'm sure you've had your share of excess suitors in your day,"** she said, privately crossing her fingers that the woman would play along.

The old pawnbroker gave her a skeptical, unamused look but reluctantly pointed a finger to a small door behind her and allowed Kali to pass through it to the street on the other side of the shop. After furtively peeking around the corner of the shop to where she knew her two friends patiently awaited her, Kali darted over to the bar with the shirshu. It didn't take her long to spot Zuko, Uncle, and the bounty hunter. A huge crowd surrounded them in the tiny bar and she struggled to duck her way closer to them, pulling her black bandana low over her brow and stooping over slightly so that hopefully they wouldn't be able to get a good view at her face if they looked her way. Unfortunately for her, just as she'd started to get closer, the bounty hunter cried out, **"Drinks on me!"** and the entire room erupted into celebration.

An elbow caught her in the face and knocked her back against someone's back. That someone of course responded with the reasonable response of slamming his fist into her face and knocking her into the bar, in the process hitting someone else. The next thing she knew she was looking up from the floor at a bar fight. She slid along the side of the bar, trying to avoid getting caught up in the brawl which was now spreading. This wasn't exactly what she'd had in mind when she'd snuck into this place. She couldn't see the prince, Uncle, or the bounty hunter now and at this moment she didn't care. She just wanted out.

The last thing she would remember the next morning was making a dash for the door, stumbling on top of what she would assume was a person, and then ending up pressed against a man who was in the process of being tossed out a window. And where that man went, she went too, knocked backwards by his impact. There was light, then pain, the feeling of something hard against her head, the scent of earth, and then darkness.

* * *

 

The next morning, the group ate in much more companionable terms. They were all more relaxed and Sokka was less chatty until they found themselves outside. The idea of getting to know someone from Katara's past seemed to be settling better with Jet as he was actually talking and laughing with Bato today. Everyone tensed up when Sokka would bring up going to see their father, but other than that; everyone was pretty relaxed.

As breakfast ended, the group wandered back out to the ship on the beach.

" **This ship is sentimental to me. It was built by my father."** Bato told them as they all stood around it.

_**"**_ **Is this the boat he took you ice-dodging in?"** Sokka asked, looking from the boat to Bato.

**"** **Yeah, it's got the scar to prove it. Huh. How about you, Sokka? You must have some good stories from your first time ice-dodging?"** Bato asked with a grin.

**"** **He never got to go. Dad left before he was old enough."** Katara answered, slightly sadly.

**"** **Oh, I forgot, you were too young."** Bato returned. Jet spoke up, confused.

**"** **What's ice-dodging?"**

**"** **It's a rite of passage for young water tribe members. When you turn fourteen your Dad takes you... you know what you're about to find out."** He was informed, and he smiled mischievously as the end as he motioned for them all to climb on the boat. Jet, Katara and Sokka all went willingly. Masami froze; fear of something like the storm they had been through a while back flashing through her head. Her feet stuck in place,

" **I'm alright, I'll watch."** She managed to say. Aang looked at the boat, and then shook his head too.

" **Can you do it with just them?"** When Bato nodded, and he knew he wouldn't be taking something away from Sokka, he looped his arm through Masami's to wait on shore with her.

* * *

 

**"It's over."**

What?

" **We caught you red-handed."** Kali blinked blearily at the two outlines above her.

" **Well, technically, her hands don't appear to be, sir. It's hard to tell with those gloves but…"**

Whoever it was trailed off as Kali attempted to sit up. She was in a room. Not the room she shared with the crew back on the ship. This room was wooden and filled with…Earth Kingdom soldiers? She widened her eyes in alarm as she finally managed a sitting position in front of the two men studying her. She was on the ground of the tavern she'd been in earlier. Outside it was still dark so at least she hadn't been knocked out for too long. Her head ached and she wondered what exactly she'd hit it against when she'd flown through that window. Touching her head, she realized she was bleeding and yelped as the younger of the two Earth Kingdom officials moved her hand back and gingerly removed a large shard of glass (well, she thought it was large at the time until she noticed the shard in her shoulder…this one was actually only about the size of a copper coin) from a couple inches above her right eye. Her bandana was missing and as she started to take stock of her overall shape, she realized her right side was especially cut up (probably from the window), she couldn't see very well out of her left eye (so it was probably swollen from being punched), and her head felt like a gaggle of turkey geese had been hammering at it for hours.

" **Best to just fess up to it, miss. We caught you re-err, we know you're guilty."** The official evidently in charge glanced at his younger companion with a slightly irritated expression. Kali stared at them blankly. There proceeded a very one-sided argument in which Kali attempted to protest her innocence of whatever crime she was accused of and the officials informed her that not only had she been found unconscious in a bush in possession of two bags of cabbages they were confident had been gained by ill means but, as one of the last people left at the bar after it had been all but destroyed by the brawl, she was among the people being blamed for the property damage by the owner. The bags of stolen cabbages she couldn't explain except that she imagined they had been dumped next to her while she was unconscious, the real thief perhaps thinking bushes were a good hiding place. The bar brawl….well, she couldn't deny that she'd been there, but she certainly could deny ever throwing a punch. That simply hadn't happened. She tried to play up the idea that she was a young girl in the wrong place at the wrong time but, being that she was unable to give a satisfying reason for why she was in the bar in the first place, she didn't get very far with that. Her only alibis for the real crime were the pawnbroker (who she'd suspiciously asked to let her come in one door and out the other) and Obi and Garron, who were nowhere to be found and, besides that, were Fire Nation soldiers. No Earth Kingdom official would ever give the benefit of the doubt to someone who spent their time with firebenders. Kali's situation looked bleak and the younger of the officials cheerfully told her so as they made their way through the street.

Thus, for the first time since she'd been a small child, Kali found herself locked up. In prison.

* * *

 

" **You froze."** Aang pointed out to Masami as they sat in the sand, **"Why?"** He asked, propping his head on his knee. **"You've been on boats before."** He knew that, he'd been on them with her. She smiled sadly,

" **I don't know, I just…did. I think it's because the last time I was on one it was because of the storm, and that was pretty scary. The fact you all got over so fast amazes me. I don't get over things that fast.** " She admitted sheepishly.

" **I get scared too, I do. I understand."** He said with a smile. She looked at him slightly skeptically, smiling.

" **I haven't really seen you get scared, except for the storm."** Cuz she had that night.

" **I didn't say I did it a lot."** He teased. She smiled back. They lapsed into silence before he spoke up, fidgeting lightly.

" **Do I help you not be scared? While we were at Aunt Wu's, I listened to what she told you. I remind you of your sister? I'm like a sibling then?"** He asked, seeming conflicted.

" **I know you did."** Masami answered with a grin.

" **I'm sorry."** Aang responded, keeping his eyes on his shoes.

" **I don't care; but it's easier if there's something you want to know to just ask. Kay?"** She reasoned, then went back to his other question. **"Yes, you remind me of Kali in some ways. She gets me, and I get her. She understands my fears and rather then getting mad over them; as stupid as they come off sometimes, she stands by me. You do that too; you just did with the boat and Bato."** She looked down at his hand that was resting at his side, and she covered it with her own. **"But no, I don't think of you like a brother."** She finished quietly. He looked at her with a sideward smile and wordlessly flipped his hand up to grasp hers.

Before they could say anything else, the boat was returning to shore, and everyone was gushing over how well Sokka had guided the boat through the rocky course Bato had put them up against.

**"** **The spirits of water bear witness to these marks. For Sokka, the mark of the wise, the same mark your father earned."** Bato painted a half circle and a dot on Sokka's forehead, then moved onto Katara.

_**"**_ **For Katara, the mark of the brave. Your courage inspires us."** He painted a crescent moon on her forehead.

_**"**_ **And for Jet, the mark of the trusted. You are now an honorary member of the Water Tribe."** He said with an approving smile as he painted another half circle on the nonbender's forehead. As he stepped away, Katara launched herself at Jet, hugging him happily. The group retreated inside to rest and discuss the matter that had been brought up earlier in the day.

* * *

 

" **We have no time for this!"** Zuko snapped, leaping down from the shirshu's back. They'd been riding all night and most of the morning on this useless monstrosity and still they had failed to find the Avatar. They had even stopped to rest at one point! The wench of a bounty hunter had insisted on it and, as much as Zuko hated to admit it, it was hard to argue with her too much with her hulking beast beside her since their success depended on its cooperation.

Now he waved the necklace back and forth in front of it fiercely, only to have it snap at him.

" **Hey, watch it!"** he shouted, resisting the urge to bend some manner into the beast. He glared irritably up at the smirking bounty hunter. It was annoying to hear his uncle laugh at him, especially in front of this stranger. As the shirshu started to take off again in response to June's whip, he hastily retook his seat behind Uncle, who was definitely enjoying sitting behind the bounty hunter way too much for Zuko's liking. Watching his uncle eyeing a woman like that made Zuko extremely uncomfortable. Of course, anything that connected the concept of sex appeal with the concept of Uncle was incredibly uncomfortable. Zuko suddenly found himself unwillingly thinking of Kali and their time in the closet together. Unfortunately, Uncle's mind seemed to have gone to a similar if not quite as precise place.

" **Prince Zuko, do you not feel at all regretful over leaving Kali behind?"**

" **Why should I? She'd cause nothing but trouble for me if we brought her along. I can't have her getting in the way of my capture of the Avatar."**

" **Well, yes, but the only reason she is on our crew in the first place is to find her sister. Might we not also find her sister when we find the Avatar? Or even have let her use something of her sister's to locate her?"**

" **I don't care why she joined our crew. That's not my concern. She's not my responsibility. Anyway, Uncle, there's no guarantee her sister is even still with the Avatar! It might as well be a lost cause."** Uncle sighed.

" **You may be right. If that is the case, though, I do not like to think of what will happen when we tell her."**

Zuko frowned. He hadn't considered that. If Kali discovered her sister wasn't with the Avatar, that she'd completely lost her track….what would she do? Would she stay with his crew?

He shook his head. It wasn't important, one way or the other. He blinked a few times and then looked straight ahead again. The only thing that mattered now was where he was going and what, or rather who, was waiting for him at the end. This time, he thought, _I will capture him._

* * *

 

The group decided as they ate how to settle the matter of getting to Hakoda,

" **Why don't you and Jet go find Dad with Bato?"** Sokka suggested suddenly, his head low. Everyone paused their eating,

" **Why us? You want to see Dad too I know."** Katara asked, folding her arms on the table.

" **I do, but I can't leave Aang. I promised…and he and Masami can't get there on their own."** He covered at the end to not sound sentimental. **"But just because I can't go doesn't mean you and Jet shouldn't go."** Sokka finished with a smile. Jet and Katara weren't completely convinced, but couldn't bring themselves to completely hate the offer either. Eventually it was agreed, and preparations to leave were made early the next morning. Appa was loaded, and the groups were ready.

" **Stay safe."** Katara told them all, Masami nodded while the others smiled. **"Keep them in line."** She teased Masami who smiled and nodded again.

" **I'll do what I can."** She responded honestly. The two groups went their separate ways, waving goodbye to the sisters as they went. As they walked down the path on Appa, they found themselves on the beach again. They more secured their packs but just as they were taking off, Mother Superior ran out of the woods.

" **A group of people came to the abbey looking for you. You have to leave!"**

**"** **Who?"** Aang demanded,

**"** **A fierce looking woman with a horrible monster and a young man with a scar."  
**

" **Zuko!"** Masami cried, though the thought of her sister came through her mind at that name.

**"** **The beast was using the scent of a necklace to follow you."** Mother informed them.

" **A necklace? Huh! Katara!"** Sokka cried as they turned the bison towards the Abbey.

* * *

 

Kali hadn't slept a bit since she'd been placed in the cell, given that she was sharing it with a few other characters who looked a little rougher than herself. It was around lunchtime now and she stared miserably through the bars at the officials, who she'd reluctantly informed of Obi and Garron's identity as crewmembers on the Shoeboat. One plus was that if the officials bothered to follow up on her alibi, they'd have an easy time finding the only Fire Nation ship in the harbor at the moment. On the other hand, they might not bother. What if she was trapped in this prison until after Zuko returned (possibly with the Avatar and maybe even Masami and her friends captive!) and he left without her? She had no good amount of money so she had no chance at posting bail or anything like that. She might have to sit out a sentence for something she hadn't done and then she might never see her sister again. Even once she was let out…she'd be alone in the world.

She hugged one of her knees and tried not to think about it. In part out of sincere hope and in part out of just the desire to keep her mind occupied, she started to look the prison over more carefully. If she were to try to escape, what would be her best options?

As her eyes shifted around the room, her mind shifted back to her mother. She'd been thinking about her a lot this morning. The prison cell was a lot like the Earth Kingdom prison she'd been born in. Not as hastily constructed, from what she could tell, but the layout and the provisions for both guards and prisoners were similar. She shuddered, remembering how the guards had always looked at her when she was small. They had all known one of their own must have been her father, given that women and men prisoners weren't allowed to spend any time together. But no one had seemed quite sure which soldier it had been. Except for her mother, Zahar, of course, but she hadn't told Kali about that until she'd known Kali was at the age that she could keep a secret.

Zahar had been a part of a group of Fire Nation colonists who had come to the Earth Kingdom, hoping to find better lives in the new colony than they had found in the homeland. Most of them had been relatively poor and had few connections left in the Fire Nation, which was probably why the Fire Nation military had been content to let the Earth Kingdom soldiers who ambushed the settlement one night maintain control over the prisoners, rather than paying ransom. All known firebenders had been killed immediately the night the Earth Kingdom had taken the colony and anyone caught showing even a hint of knowledge of the art was shown no mercy. Zahar had carefully hidden Kali's eyes when she had first been born for fear that the twinkling in the baby's eyes which foretold a firebender might be noticed and questioned by the soldiers who'd run the prison. It hadn't been until Kali was somewhere around seven or eight that she'd escaped that prison. Her mother had not.

Kali shook her head slightly, as if to shake the memories from her mind, and closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry. Some nights, she still ached from thinking of her mother in that prison. Ached until she had to give up sleeping altogether and find a distraction to pass the time until the sun and Masami woke up. Her thoughts were interrupted as a familiar voice broke in.

" **Kali?"  
**

* * *

 

There was little time to waste as the group flew back to the aid of their friends and the sisters. Masami held on onto the saddle as Aang took off on his glider and Sokka steered Appa towards the ground. Once they neared the ground, Appa picked up speed without Sokka asking. He slammed his head into a large creature that had previously been going after Aang. Masami squealed as she toppled off the creature, and came face to face with Bato on the ground.

" **Are you hurt?"** She asked, trying to get her friends on their feet.

" **That thing got us with it's tongue, we can't move now."** Bato informed her, she narrowed her eyes at the large long-nosed creature. Was an ugly thing, whatever it was. She pulled herself up and struck a defensive stance not unlike the ones she saw Aang strike. She kept her eyes on the fight that was starting to break out. She looked over her shoulder as she saw the sisters moving her friends. She backed up a little so she could keep her self between her friends and the fight. Sokka ran up from the left after recovering from the fall.

Across from them, Aang and Zuko had started in on each other. As was expected, Zuko made the first move. He struck out at Aang with a fiery jab, which Aang was able to dispel with a blast of air from his staff. He retaliated with a gust sent from his foot. Zuko advanced on him and the fight became a lot closer. Fire and air created several close calls for both males until one hand slipped and caught the other at the wrong time resulting in a powerful explosion that landed both males on opposite roofs.

The woman who was apparently the master of the beast cracked her whip and got the creature up again. As she remounted the beast, they ran to take their revenge on Appa. Appa puffed out larger then Masami had ever seen him, and as the slightly smaller creature neared him, he was able to land a blow right to the center of it's chest and send the rider back down to the ground. She hit the ground hard, landing close enough to Masami and Sokka for them to ask. Sokka lifted his club, and ran at the woman as Masami pulled water from the well and ran at her as well. She lifted the whip, and lashed out at Sokka but he was able to deflect the whip with his club and get a step closer to her before she brought the whip around again and got him in the back of the head. Masami moved up and brought the water she'd collected with her. She tried to mimic the motion she'd learned when she'd first met the group, the water whip. She figured if the beast girl could fight with a whip so could she. Sokka got his footing and stood his ground beside her, but a large flame sent the group scattering and covering their faces.

On the roof, Aang was finally coming to, though it was almost too little too late because Zuko was already heading right for him with a large flame in tow. He was able to roll onto his back, and use his feet to dispel the flame as they again began to scuffle with each other. They shot flames and air this way and that, and once able to get a little space, Aang got enough space to get his arms in a position to one-up Zuko and shoot him into the far wall of the roof. Not giving him time to catch his breath, Aang launched another attack which Zuko dodged by sliding his way off the roof.

Appa took flight over the beast to get towards the rest of the group, but the creature sent its long tongue out that got the underside of his foot. He plummeted towards the ground faster then it seemed he meant to. He crashed hard into the ground, trying to get up. He was able to struggle through the paralysis, and make a run at the creature again. They bashed their heads together, halting both of them as they struggled for dominance. But as soon the brawl had begun the beast broke off and made a dash for the roof.

As Zuko landed on the ground, Masami brought the water whip around and made straight for him. She brought her hands quickly from her left and sends the whip straight for him. He turns in time for part of it to get his face, and he staggers backwards. **"You have a lot of nerve, Peasant."** He said as he quickly launched fire at her. She backed up, and brought the water back from his direction in time to break most of the fire from getting on her face; the way she had practiced with Kali. Before the twosome could get more blows in though, Aang was off the roof and Zuko's focus was elsewhere.

The creature broke holes in the roof as it tried to pursue Aang, but with its lack of eyesight it was unable to see the blast of air from Appa's tail, nor the large murky ball of mud from Aang. As the creature fell back to the ground no one noticed the Fire Nation General stealing a small bottle of fragrance from a nearby barrel.

Masami forgotten, Zuko took off towards Aang, attacking him through the small opening above the well. Hopping from side to side, Aang weaved in and out of the pillars holding the roof over the well as Zuko shot fire from his fists. Tired from not getting the desired results, Zuko took his place on the side of the well as well and hand to hand combat ensued again. Eventually, Aang was one step too fast for Zuko, and was able to launch him into the well. Before Zuko could get himself out of the way, the water from the well was back up with Aang in tow. The force of the water hit Zuko full force and sent him crashing into the ground a little ways a way.

Before Zuko could stage another counter attack, Appa put himself between Aang and Zuko.

As Appa stood against the Fire Prince, the long nosed creature was back under the control of his handler was back and ready to challenge Appa. As the woman cracked the whip, the creature's tongue lashed out at Appa and hit him in the face repeatedly. And eventually, he was able to be taken down.

On the other side of the Abbey, the sisters and Sokka had gotten the other friends to their feet. The sisters used the perfume to somehow shake off the lasting bit of paralysis. **"Masami, come here!"** Sokka cried, getting her attention from a little ways away. Sokka had come up with a plan to overload the senses of the creature attacking Appa using smell, so once the large jars of the perfume were knocked over, Masami and Katara used the liquid to douse the creature so it was no longer able to tell anyone from anything else. The rider was thrown from it's back as the creature reared back, scratched the walls and made it's escape. Soon there after; all the group including Bato, Katara and Jet climbed aboard Appa and flew off into the distance.

Zuko, The General and the rider were all still on the ground as Masami looked over the saddle a minute later. Strangely enough though, Masami hadn't seen the older man get hit with the paralysis causing tongue.

* * *

 

" **Uncle, I didn't see you get hit with the tongue."**

" **Shhhh."**

Zuko rolled his eyes and groaned at his uncle's response. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as his prize escaped. Again. Not only that, but he'd lost the Water Tribe girl's necklace. Katara was her name, he thought. He frowned and tried to shake his head to help shake the name out of it. Knowing their names didn't do him any favors. He couldn't afford to think of them as more than obstacles in his quest. Just something to get by in order to get home. His mind ran through the Avatar's various friends. The short girl with the strange eyes. The newest waterbender to join the Avatar who'd attacked him this time. Kali's sister. She'd stayed with the Avatar after all.

Having little more to do than fume over his most recent loss and hope the shirshu's venom wore off him soon before Earth Kingdom soldiers arrived, he pondered this. On the one hand, it was as good of a guarantee as any that Kali would stay on his ship as long as he let her until he found the Avatar again. From what he could tell, she had nowhere to go but to her sister. On the other hand, if she was there the next time they found the Avatar…if he couldn't find an excuse to keep her from reaching her sister…his face hardened. In the years since his exile, he'd never once felt conflicted in his path. But now, suddenly, he was starting to…feel something. Something that, as hard as it was for him to admit it, was almost making him want to hold back just a little in finding the Avatar. Which was absurd! he thought angrily, gritting his teeth and spitting out a flickering flame or two.

Perhaps it was time he found a new cook.

* * *

 

When the group was a safe enough distance away, they landed again to go their separate ways.

" **You sure you guys will be okay without us?"** Katara asked, Sokka nodded.

" **We'll be fine, you guys take care of each other. And give Dad a hug for me."** He said with a small smile.

" **Should we worry about that thing tracking us again?"** Bato asked, his brow furrowed.

" **I don't think so."** Jet spoke up suddenly, holding Katara's necklace in one hand. Her eyes lit up with delight.

" **How did you get it back?"** She asked, as he moved towards her to put it on.

" **The scarred asshole dropped it when Aang hit him with well water."** He grinned, letting his hand stay on the back of her neck as he finished putting the clasp in place. Katara turned and slide her arms around his neck.

" **Thank you."** She smiled. He nodded, his normal cocky smirk in place. As the group said their goodbyes again; Masami, Aang and Sokka climbed into the saddle and were finally able to get moving again.

* * *

 

Kali walked outside the prison, still somewhat stunned as Obi pulled her into a tight hug.

" **I'm so glad I found you!"** Then he pulled back and his face took on a troubled expression.

" **Where'd you go? And what in the name of the Firelord happened to you?! Why did you ditch us?"**

Kali watched his face shift through emotions: concern, anger…hurt. And suddenly she felt even worse than she had in the prison. **"I…I thought I'd found a way to get to my sister…more quickly. But I didn't want to tell you, because I didn't know how you and the others would respond since I'd be finding the Avatar too and trying to beat Zuko and Uncle before they found him and Masami. So…I lied to you…about the lady problems. I mean I guess technically I'm a lady and I was having problems (well I guess I'm not really a lady) but they weren't really those kind of problems. Not right now anyway,"** she spewed, then took a breath and finally got to the point. **"I'm sorry I lied to you."**

Obi stared at her for a moment. This was probably the most she'd ever said in one stretch to him. He looked away, then,

" **We should get back to the ship…you're coming back, right?"**

" **Yeah,"** she replied. She spent the rest of the walk back staring at the ground. As they reached the docks, she finally said it.

" **Obi?"**

" **Yah?"**

" **Thank you for getting me out of prison. I swear…I'll pay you back."**

They stopped and she continued.

" **Really. Nobody else…except Masami…would do that for me. Nobody."**

" **She's really all you've got?"** She smiled a little.

" **You really think I'd mop the prince's ship ten times a day if she wasn't?"**

He smiled back, then frowned as he looked her over again.

" **Damn, you're cut up. And that eye looks terrible. As soon as we get back to the ship, I'm sending Hadji to find Garron and then we're bandaging you up. That one cut looks pretty deep,"** he added, pointing gingerly at the biggest slit across Kali's forehead.

" **It's not as bad as it looks. You should see my shoulder."**

" **What'd you do? Get into a bar fight?"**

" **Yes, actually."**

" **Oh."** They'd reached the gangplank. He stopped again.

" **You sure about this?"**

" **About what?"**

" **Well don't you still want to do whatever you were gonna do to find your sister?"**

She stared down at his shoes.

" **I think it might be too late now."** His hand on her shoulder made her look up.

" **I understand why you lied to me. And Garron. But, for the record, everyone knows** **you're going to have to leave at some time or another. None of us really likes the idea of dragging a little kid to the Firelord. It's just our job. So if you end up leaving us and…delaying the Avatar's capture a little more when you find your sister…I'm pretty sure the only person who's really going to hold it against you is Zuko. We all know what it's like to miss your family."** There was a pause. Warmth spread through her as she looked up at the kind, solemn face. She'd never felt more lucky to have ended up on this particular Shoeboat than she did now. Kali smiled weakly.

" **Thanks, Obi."**

A few hours later, she was bandaged and alone in the crew's quarters, where Lieutenant Jee had insisted she remain until the prince returned. Zuko hadn't issued any explicit orders for today other than for the crew to remain in port, so, Jee had reasoned, it fell to him to give the orders. The ship, he'd decided, didn't need any mopping done today.

Kali would awaken much later to find, to her relief that Zuko had once again neglected to capture the Avatar. Still better was the news Uncle told her quietly when she brought him tea that evening. He'd confirmed her greatest hope. Masami was still traveling with the Avatar.


	7. Ahoy! I'm Admiral Zhao!

_Where are you tonight, Masami?_

The news that her sister was definitely still with the Avatar had both relieved and shaken Kali. She hadn't even stopped to consider what she would do if Masami had at some point separated from the Avatar. It made her wonder what kept her with him. Why wasn't she looking for Kali? A sound coming from the vent next to her broke her thoughts. Slowly, a small ginger kitten with pink and black stripes running all across his body pushed open the vent, coughing from the dust and soot that covered him. Kali smiled down as the little cat leapt down from the vent to the floor, then grimaced at the soot that spilled out with him. Fireball, the stray Obi had snuck aboard, often accompanied her when she was cleaning the ship at night. It was fortunate he'd learned by now not to come out much during the day.

 **"Hey, buddy. You ready for another long night of sweeping the corridors**?" She patted him fondly and he mewed softly, then shook himself, spreading more soot.

 **"Hold still. I don't need you making more work for me."** The kitten purred loudly and rubbed against her as she gently swept off most of the dust and soot from his coat. Then, together, they made their way down corridor after corridor, occasionally pausing so the kitten could get a tummy rub. When she'd finally finished, they went back to the kitchen for a small bowl of milk, which she and Obi kept a secret stash of just for him. She sat on the ground and cuddled him for a moment once he'd finished the milk. Then she stood and yawned.

 **"Well, good night buddy. Time for you to go back into hiding. Can't have the prince and Jee finding you, y'know."** The kitten looked up at her with golden eyes and followed her down toward her room.

 **"Thinking of spending the night with me, hmm? Don't know that that's a good idea. What am I going to do if the jerk upstairs busts in on me and you're there? Or, more likely, if Jee wakes up before me?"** They had almost reached the door to the hallway that led to the crew's room when the kitten spotted something and dashed forward. Just beyond Fireball's reach, Kali spotted it. A moose fly.

 **"Great. Stupid fly."** She joined Fireball in swatting at it. Unfortunately, neither of them was a very good aim and the moose fly flew away with Fireball intent on capturing the antlered insect. Hmm, she thought sleepily, kind of like Zuko and the Avatar. She followed them, intending to pull Fireball off and restore him to a proper hiding space.

Of course, however, the moose fly would, in the end, have to pick Zuko's room to buzz into. And Fireball, intent on his goal, would have to follow it in through the barely cracked open door.

* * *

The group landed Appa in a copse of trees in late afternoon. They then began to travel through the dimly lit area on foot. They only stopped when they came to a sign ahead of them. Momo flew from Aang's shoulder and headed straight for the sign. He landed on top of it, and scurried around the four walled bulletin board. The group closed the gap with the sign and started to look at what was what.

" **We need to find shelter, or food."** Masami observed as she looked at her companions. Sokka turned their food bag over.

" **See if you can find a menu, I'm starving.** "He whined. Masami rolled her eyes,

" **If you hadn't eaten everything in there, we'd be fine."**

" **I'm a growing boy!"** Sokka snipped,

" **So is Aang! I'm not a boy, but I'm certainly not immune to hunger either."** She reminded. But looked up as Aang spoke.

" **I bet we'll find something to eat here! The Fire Days Festival. Fire Nation cultural exhibits...jugglers, benders, magicians. This'd be a great place for me to study some real firebenders!"** Aang gushed. Masami and Sokka weren't convinced, and Sokka really wasn't once he pointed at the other side of the board.

**"** **You might wanna rethink that. Look at this."**

_**"**_ **Hey, a poster of me!"** Aang said as he practically jumped up and down.

 **"** **A wanted poster. This is bad."** Sokka warned as he looked at Aang. Masami came to stand next to them, agreeing with Sokka.

" **Sokka's right, this is probably not a good idea."** They could find food somewhere else.

 **"I** **have to learn firebending at some point, and this could be my only chance to watch a master up close."** Aang had a point, but Masami was still unsure. Aang was slightly figuring out that Masami couldn't really tell him no though, especially if he was looking at her in the face like he was.

" **I guess a little while wouldn't hurt**." Aang smiled as Masami caved.

 **"** **What!? You want to walk into a Fire Nation town where they're all fired up with all their, you know, fire?"** Sokka cried.

 **"** **We'll wear disguises and if it looks like trouble, we'll leave."** Aang chimed in, pulling his collar up over his head. He then headed straight for the festival. Masami raised her eyebrows, but followed after him, pulling her cloak out of her bag and wrapping it around her shoulders. Sokka mumbled to himself but did the same. As they neared the town, they left Appa and Momo behind so they could have a small rest. And they entered the town, soon noticing with the amount of people there were that they would need other disguises. They each purchased a mask, none of which were at all flattering, and made their way through the crowds.

As they walked, Sokka stopped to eat multiple times as fire breathers were here and there, and all this made her think of Kali. She was glad no one could see her face because she was sure she looked sad.

After a rather morbid puppet show, the group followed Aang towards a stage. Sokka chided them and nagged them the entire way towards it that getting this close was not a good idea, but Aang kept walking and Masami was stuck in the middle. She had no desire to lose this group that she now called her friends. The man on stage was quite a talented bender as he did a few juggling tricks, then a rather large fire breathing trick. He then needed a volunteer. Aang raised his hand immediately; though his eyes fell more on Masami since he seemed to desire a female assistant.

" **Awww, she's shy. Leeet's give her some encouragement, folks!"** The performer called as the crowd cheered, and Masami was dragged on stage. She swallowed as the man pushed her into a chair and wrapped a scarf around her mid section.

" **This next trick is called "Taming the Dragon." You will be my captured princess!"** The man said with a grin, he then created a giant dragon with his bending, and it sailed above the crowd. Masami followed it with her eyes. The dragon swooped close enough for Masami to feel the heat on her head. She ducked her head and closed her eyes behind the mask. As she lifted her head to look again the man had attached a rope do the dragon's neck and was now "controlling" the creature.

 _ **"**_ **Don't worry, young maiden! I will tame this fiery beast! It's too strong, I can't hold it!"** The man brought the flames down again and really did seem to be losing control of them. As he brought them down once more, she flinched noticeably.

 **"** **We gotta help her!"** Aang cried as he started to move towards the stage; but Sokka held him back.

 **"** **No, we don't want to make a scene!"** Sokka tugged his arm back.

 **"** **The rope, it's breaking!"** The man on the stage broke the "rope" and the flaming beast came straight for Masami who in turn screamed, and threw her weight backwards to knock the chair over, landing hard on her side. She winced, and looked up in time to see Aang launch himself up on the stage and dispelled the flames with a large burst of air; the flames giving way to confetti. It would seem she really wasn't in danger at all; but fire coming right at her face was more than a bit not good in her opinion.

" **Hey, you tryin' to upstage me, kid?"** The man said angrily, Aang looked back over his shoulder, the mask slipping off his face.

 _ **"**_ **Hey! That kid's the Avatar!"** Came from the crowd. As some guards rushed the stage, Aang grabbed Masami bridal-style off the ground, jumped over the crowd and landed near Sokka.

" **I think it's time to go."** Sokka cried as they tried to make a break for it.

" **Follow me! I can git ya outta here!"** A mysterious hooded man cried, using explosions and a knowledge of the city to get them to safety.

* * *

Kali cautiously peeked into the room through the crack. He was breathing very heavily and appeared to be asleep on his side, his back facing the wall. Staring at him, she couldn't help but appreciate his muscular form. She'd never actually seen him without his practice robe or armor on. _He is…in damn fine shape,_ she thought, then scowled inwardly at herself. _He's also a total-_

Her thoughts were interrupted as the fly buzzed just in front of the crack Fireball bounced after it. She looked at the prince again then cracked open the door a bit further and took a step inside, leaning forward toward the cat.

**"Psst. Fireball. C'mere."**

She tried to beckon to the kitten but he was too focused on his prey. Slowly she inched in further, her eyes darting to the sleeping prince constantly. She had just about managed to reach the kitten when a thought struck her. How was she going to keep Fireball from crying out and waking Zuko up? If she grabbed him, she'd be taking the chance that he'd protest and awaken a sleeping explosion waiting to happen. An explosion that already had issues with her. Just then, the moose fly flew up to his altar, perching on its hooves among the unlit candles. Kali stared in horror as the kitten paused, crouched, and sprang up onto the table. Most cats could probably have done this without causing a problem but Fireball was still just a kitten. Two of the candles went down and Kali instinctively dove forward to catch them, clamping her mouth shut as she nearly cried out. Candle wax spilled on her and she gritted her teeth harder as a small whine of pain escaped between them. The prince stirred in his bed. Cautiously, she stood and replaced the candles as Fireball and the fly knocked over the other candles. Again, she dove to catch them and this time nearly lost one. Wax spilled on her and the floor. She'd have to clean that up later.

Suddenly, the prince shouted.

**"The Avatar!"**

Kali and Fireball started back but Zuko merely groaned and flipped over to his other side. Kali replaced the candles hastily and crept closer to the cat again, determined to just grab him and make a run for it this time. She'd get that fly later. The fly, however, had other plans and buzzed up over the bed. Kali could just barely restrain herself from shouting "No!" as the kitten jumped up onto the bed after it.

* * *

The man in the hood took them down an alley, pulling them away from the most populated area of the town. Guards were right on their heels though.

" **There they are!"** Masami could hear behind them. Sokka had been right, this was a really bad idea. Thankfully the hood seemed to have thought this through more then they had. He threw some sort of smoke bomb at the guards, and it game them enough cover to slip down an alley.

 **"** **Over there!"** Cried another guard, cutting them off from the left.

 **"** **I'm calling Appa!"** Aang cried, pulling a whistle from his tunic. Sooner, rather then later, more guards were meeting up from different areas to continue to give chase. As Aang blew the whistle, Masami heard nothing. Was this always how things always happened with this group?!

 _ **"**_ **I hope he can really hear that bison whistle!"** Sokka grossed, as the hooded man pulled them down one more alley.

 **"** **This way!"** The alley was a dead end. **"Okay! Not this way!"** He added after a moment. Masami looked at the group of guards, feelings of dread welling up in her throat. But it would seem the chase wasn't over yet. The hood threw another smoke bomb at the guards and the group picked up the pace again, only to find themselves in another tight spot between a high wall and guards. But their saving grace this time came in the form of the skybison.

Appa landed behind the guards after Aang called for him, and he used his tail to blast the guards away form the alley. As the guards were thrown off, the entire group climbed up on the skybison, **"Yip yip!"** Aang spoke rather frantically, shaking the reins with urgency. The creature was already airborne by the time Masami could look back and see the guards returning for them. To add insult to injury, the man tossed another smoke bomb and ended up setting off a supply of fire works to cover their exit

" **Nice touch setting off the fireworks."** Aang chimed in with his usually happy smile.

 **"** **You seem to really know your explosives."** Sokka added.

 **"** **I'm familiar."** The Hood responded as he removed the hood. His appearance was distinctly Fire Nation, Sokka balked.

**"** **You're a Fire Nation soldier!"**

**"** **Was. My name's Chey."** The man explained as the group started to descend to the ground a good ways off, down the river a bit.

As the group got settled in for a rest Masami helped started a fire, and the boys set camp. As they sat around, Chey began to speak.  
 **  
"I serve a man. More than a man really, he's a myth, but he's real, a living legend, Jeong Jeong the Deserter. He was a Fire Nation general, or wait, was he an admiral**?" Chey mused.

 **"** **He was very highly ranked, we get it."** Sokka said, clearly annoyed.

 **"** **Yeh! Way up there! But he couldn't take the madness any more. He's the first person ever to leave the army - and live. I'm the second, but you don't get to be a legend for that. That's okay though. Jeong Jeong's a firebending genius. Some say he's mad - but he's not! He's enlightened."** Chey went on.

 **"** **You mean there's a firebender out here who's not with the Fire Lord? We've gotta go see him! He can train me!"** Aang interjected suddenly. Masami looked up from her spot on the ground without much of a reaction. She understood why people got so bent out of shape about firebenders, she did. But she couldn't bring herself to hate them like some of the world; her only living kin was a firebender; so she had her reasons.

 **"** **We're not gonna go find some crazy firebender!"** Sokka snipped.

 **"** **He's not crazy! He's a genius! And he's the perfect person to train the Avatar! That's why I followed you into the festival."** Chey snapped back, standing.

 **"** **Look, thanks for the help, but we're leaving for the North Pole in the morning."** Sokka finished, dismissively, getting to his feet as well.

" **Guys-"** Masami started, but Aang spoke over her.

 **"** **Sokka, this could be my only chance to meet a firebending master who would actually be willing to teach me."** Aang tried to reason, his voice upset.

 **"Let's just talk to him, Sokka."** Masami said from the ground, looking at the group.

 **"** **That's what you said about going to the festival! Why doesn't anyone ever listen to me!?"** Sokka yelled, nearly stomping his foot. But the movement was halted by some…jungle people falling from the trees. Spears pressed to each member of the group's throat.

 **"** **Don't move!"** the leader snarled. The group was rounded up, and herded like cowpachas towards who knew where.

 **"** **Jeong Jeong told you not to look for Avatar!"** The leader croaked at Chey.

 **"** **Hold on, you know these guys!?"** Sokka asked, skeptically.

 **"** **Oh yeh! Lin Yi's an old buddy! Right Lin Yi**?" He enquired the man, cheerfully.

 **"** **Shut up! Keep moving."** The other man said; yeah seemed to be real good friends. The group cleared the woods after not too long, and they came to what looked like some form of settlement. They were all marched towards a hut, but all stopped outside except Chey.  
 **  
** **"** **Go on. He sees you only."** Lin Yi shoved Chey.

" **Oh that's okay, we can chat later."** Chey assured as he headed off to the hut.

 **"** **Is that where Jeong Jeong is? I need to talk to him right away."** Aang insisted, but was cut off by a spear shaft.

 _ **"**_ **No! You wait there."** Lin Yi chided with a sharp tone, while shoving Chey again. **"Go now!"**

 **"** **Don't worry! Everything'll be fine. He's a great man, great man**!" Chey insisted as he ran into the hut. As much as Chey kept insisting that, Masami was not so sure after everything that had happened tonight.

* * *

Fireball scurried around behind Zuko's sleeping form as Kali watched in horror, unsure what to do. She thought about just leaving the room and leaving Fireball in fate's hands but then she rebuked herself. Who knew how Zuko would respond to a kitten awakening him in his ship. Especially if he was having some kind of nightmare, which apparently he was since he shouted, **"NO!"** right around the time Kali wanted to. Fireball could end up cat toast!

The kitten had started back again at Zuko's second yell, nearly forgetting the fly until it buzzed down in front of his face. Kali took a deep breath, then crept forward to stand right over the bed. The prince's form distracted her again but only for a moment. She didn't have time for those kind of thoughts. She leaned forward over Zuko and carefully started to put her hands around Fireball, not wanting to startle the cat which was now right beside Zuko's head. Then, her luck kicked in again. The same luck that had led Zuko to fall on top of her into a closet that locked behind them. And maybe the same luck that'd led her to this ship in the first place.

The fly buzzed directly in front of Zuko's face and Fireball, taking fate into his own paws, leapt directly onto the prince's head. Zuko shouted loudly, alarmed at the sudden appearance of a cat on his face in the middle of a nightmare, and punched upward into Kali's stomach, throwing her onto the floor. The cat, as alarmed by Zuko as Zuko was alarmed by him, flung himself on top of her, hissing loudly in fright and digging his claws into her back. The fly didn't have much time to be alarmed really. It was unexpectedly swallowed by Zuko as he jolted upward, causing him to choke slightly.

* * *

The group was put in a quiet place where they could finally have a little time to relax. Masami drifted off to sleep quickly, pulling the cloak over her head to block out the light from the fire. She didn't hear Chey come back, nor did she hear the exchange between him and Aang about the Master. She made a sound as Sokka flopped back over on his back, and one of his elbows hit her back. She pulled herself in tighter, trying to make herself smaller.

Sleep escaped her quickly as a shout about someone being too weak echoed throughout the camp. She kicked her legs out in panic, catching Sokka in the rear. He squealed, and rolled away from.

" **I'm sorry!"** She cried, pulling her legs back in.

" **Tell that to my butt."** Sokka grossed, rubbing his back side.

" **I'm sorry-"** She started, he turned around and glared at her but she could see the smirk pulling at the sides of his mouth. Attention shifted from Sokka's butt to Aang as he ran back to the group.

" **He's going to teach me."** Aang nearly shouted, as he threw himself between them.

The rest of the night passed quickly, and the group rose with the sun. Masami put away her cloak and moved with the rest of the group to the river. Aang was perched on a rock, holding an awkward stance while Sokka set himself off to the side to fish.

Masami brought her arms up, and slowly began to just work with the water. She made small waves, and she eventually pulled the water out of the pond in a whip. She moved the water around her, and she just let herself relax. She knew if she was going to be an asset to this group, she had to work on this. Katara could do it, so could she. She kept her breathing steady, and she let the water pass around her body in a circle, spinning herself slowly to keep up with the stream. She smiled, feeling calm for the first time in a while. It was nice just to feel like she had some control over the movement of the water.

She moved her hands closer together and made the water more into a ball. She was fascinated, watching herself control the water. She had known most of her life she was a waterbender, but she'd never had a teacher and she had never truly had the desire to use the water after a flood took her home. Fear was not a good motivation to learn, but it would seem fears could be unlearned, though that seemed a slow process. But this was a step in the right direction.

Her concentration was broken as a rather huffy, **"Hey!"** Came from Sokka over her shoulder. She had apparently missed something but she wasn't sure what it was. She looked over at Jeong Jeong and Aang and Aang was rather put out about something. Sokka snorted at the way he was being made to stand and breath and Masami herself smiled despite her better judgment. Aang gave them a look over his shoulder, and Masami made a point to drag Sokka somewhere else so Aang could focus.

As the twosome moved away, Sokka began collecting random pieces of his stuff, and Aang's. He looked at Masami for a moment before speaking.

" **You don't talk much."** He observed.

" **You talk enough for both of us."** She answered with a grin. He snorted,

" **True. But I can't really say I know you all that well; even though you've been here a while."** He was right, they weren't really friends. They knew each other.

" **I told your sister this once, and I can tell you the same. Ask me if you want to know something."** She returned. He seemed to think on this for a moment while he shifted the things in his arms around but he didn't say anything. **"What're you doing?"** She asked curiously.

" **Laundry."** He looked at her like she'd grown another head for asking that question. She cocked her head to the side,

" **Do you know how to do that?"** She asked with a smirk,

" **What? Like it's hard?"** He shot back with a look that was almost down his nose at the question.

" **It can be harder then you think."** She spoke from experience, one of the many odd-jobs she and Kali had taken over time was laundresses. It was not as easy at it appeared.

" **I'll be fine."** He then turned his back and made towards the river. She snorted, and rolled back onto her back.

No sooner had she nearly drifted off did his startled shout pull her from her daze. She pulled herself to her feet, and shuffled down to the river's edge where Sokka was holding his heavier coat, the fur stained slightly pink, presumably from Aang's clothing. Masami snorted, Sokka looking distressed.

" **What did I do?!"** He asked, shaking the coat. He had apparently never done this. **"It's ruined!"** He seemed really upset.

" **I don't think it's ruined, but it will be pink for a while. Let me have it, I think I can get most of the color out."** She knelt beside the water, and flipped the fur away from the rest of the coat, working the soap through the hair gently. She could feel him looking at her, **"If you want to say something, go ahead."** She urged with a smirk. She assumed the question was about laundry, she was wrong.

" **Where are you from?"** She looked up, her red eyes looking into his blue ones.

" **Hwan-Hye."** She answered plainly, never having actually told anyone from the group about her home.

" **Where's that?"** He asked curiously.

" **It was between Kyoshi and Omashu. There were a series of villages near us, few of them are still there; Hwan-Hye isn't. Gi-Hye, and Isuel-Hye are. Most of the others have been left for fear of flooding."** She wasn't upset to share where she came from with people, she just didn't want to tell anyone who didn't want to know. Or that's how she always spun it.

" **What about your family? Where are they?"** He asked, leaning against a tree.

" **Kali is my only living family. My grandfather took us after a flood killed my parents, and he died about 4 years ago. It's just been us since."** She didn't look up from her scrubbing this time.

" **The Fire Nation killed my mother."** He informed her, she hadn't known that, her red eyes looked at him with a question. **"She told them she was the last waterbender in our tribe. But that's not true. It was Katara, not her."** He swallowed.

" **Kali's a firebender."** She admitted without thinking. He looked at her with the same questioning look she'd given him previously. **"Dad wasn't really a good man. He married my mother, and when she had me he got angry. He'd wanted a son, and blamed her for not giving him one. He was in the Earth Nation Army, so when it was time for him to be deployed, he was stationed in a prison camp in the Fire Nation. He slept with a woman there, had Kali and abandoned her too. She came looking for him when the camp was left to rot and he turned her away. She wandered around Gi-Hye for a few days and stayed long enough to be part of the group that came to save those of us who weren't washed away in the monsoon that killed my parents. We would always go on the roof of the bigger houses to keep from being washed away; but this monsoon was worse then usual. We lost a lot of people. So, she approached me after the fact, and we became fast friends. She knew that she was my sister and I didn't, but it didn't matter. We traveled to Kyoshi together, and my Papi took us in. She told me eventually, but it didn't change my opinion of her."** She hadn't meant to say so much, but he seemed to accept what she said.

" **How're you a waterbender? And why are your eyes red?"** He asked quickly, seemingly almost curious now. She smiled,

" **They eye color is something natives of the Hye villages have, and I'm a waterbender because my Grandfather came from the Northern Water Tribe."** That wasn't apparently the answer he had expected, but he seemed pleased by it somehow. Maybe it gave him some feeling of kinship? She didn't know, but it felt nice knowing there was more to Sokka then food and bad jokes.

* * *

Why did things like this always have to happen between them? He'd slipped and dragged her down with him, fallen on her and now, thanks to a cat, he'd punched her halfway across the room. Thanks a lot, Fireball. She looked back at him and acknowledged for the first time the pain he was causing her by digging his claws into her back. She groaned and leaned back and put her hand beneath the cat, catching him as he started to slide down her back.  
 **  
"Oww."**

Zuko was already standing over her, glaring. **"What is the meaning of this?!"**

He gestured at her and the cat, then swept his hand around to indicate the room. She glanced down at the kitten, wrapped her arms around him protectively, and looked back up at the half-naked Zuko awkwardly.

**"Well, you see, the meaning of this would be...that I found this cat in the ship and was trying to catch it but it ran into your room and I came after it to try to stop it from waking you up, but then he-it pounced on your face and you woke up anyway...That would be the meaning…Prince."**

He narrowed his eyes. **"I don't believe you."**

She furrowed her brow, slightly annoyed. **"Well then, what do you think I was doing?"**  
 **  
"I think you were going to use this cat to do something to me while I was sleeping. And you just messed it up."**

**"No. Practical jokes are Ga-errrr someone else's job."**

"Well then what do you call mutinous pictures in my noodles?"

 **"That wasn't mutinous. That was just decorative dinner-making,"** she smirked.

**"Well I didn't like it!"**

"Well, you ate it just the same, didn't you? Even though you smashed the plate first."

He glared at her stonily. **"I want that cat off my ship. And I want you off it too!"**

She stared up at him, stunned. All she could manage was, **"What?"**

" **I should never have let you join my crew. I realize that now. Your sister's working with the Avatar. For all I know, she was with him from the beginning and you're a spy for them. That's probably why I've been having such a hard time finding him since you joined."**

" **I'm not a spy. I just want my sister back."**

" **It doesn't matter. I want you gone. And," he gestured at the cat furiously, "I don't want any animals on my ship!"  
**  
 **"Too late for that,"** she muttered to herself and the prince raised an eyebrow, then pointed to the room.

**"GET OUT OF MY ROOM!"**

She held the cat close and walked out, hesitated, then slammed the door after her.

* * *

After she was able to get most of the color out of the coat, she handed it back to Sokka so he could hang it out to dry, she moved back to the edge of the water where Aang was still meditating. As she approached, it seemed Jeong Jeong had given him a leaf and told him to practice more. Made sense to Masami, she stood on the shore observing for a moment before he turned to her.

" **This is the worst firebending instruction ever. All he does is leave me alone for hours to concentrate or breathe."** Aang groused.

 **"I'm sure he knows better then we do about this so I'd listen to him."** She responded, trying to be reasonable. But she could say she'd be annoyed too.

 **"** **But I'm ready to do so much more."** He insisted, and from what Masami had seen, he was a good bender, and it made sense to her. Aang grounded his body more, pulled his torso straighter and deepened his breathing. The leaf then burst into flames. Masami tilted her head, cautiously, but Aang flourished the flame in his hands.

 _ **"**_ **I did it! I made fire!"** He cried excitedly, turning towards her. Masami took a step towards the water.

 **"** **You did, but don't hurt yourself**." She tried to be supportive like she'd always heard Katara be, but she wanted him to be careful. He pulled a face at her comment, and the flame grew. That seemed to catch them both off guard. Regaining control, Aang brought the larger flame down to a smaller

" **Now that's firebending!"** He nearly fell in the river while "firebending" and Masami almost wished he had. Being ever the little showoff, Aang shot the fire way over his head, almost like he would do with Airbending. Masami followed it with her eyes, then looked back at him as he started bouncing a flame back and forth between his hands.

" **Aang-"** She started, but it was too little too late.

" **Wonder how that juggler did it?"** He asked himself, as he brought the flames to come around himself, pushing it outwards as he did. Having seen something like this before, Masami pulled herself together, and spun so her back faced Aang, her tunic catching the flames. Throwing herself to the ground with a startled sound, she pulled her over shirt open and rolled out of it.

" **Masami!"** Aang cried, dropping the flames as he jumped from the rock to the ground.

" **Masami, what's wrong!? What did you do?"** He yelled at Aang.

" **Iiiit was an accident! I was... Masami, I'm so-** " He tried to touch her, and Sokka knocked him to the ground with a shove. Masami looked up at this, not really being hurt, and pulled a water whip from the pond and used it to knock Sokka back.

" **Don't shove him!"** She yelled, her temper rearing its ugly head for the first time in a while. **"I don't need saving, I'm fine. Sister's a firebender, remember? This isn't my first rodeo."** She snapped, grabbing her over shirt and stomping away from the group.

* * *

Kali, not too surprisingly, had managed to lose the cat. Fireball had scurried away and gone through a vent.

 **"Oops,"** she muttered sarcastically to herself. She stormed into the room she shared with the crew and struggled to fall asleep. Finally, she gave up. She still felt as though the prince had just punched her in the gut. She walked down towards the kitchen and was surprised to see Garron strolling towards her. He seemed a bit caught off guard at the sight of her but then relaxed.

**"Hey there. What are you doing up at this time of the night?"**

**"Couldn't sleep,"**

she sighed miserably.

He grinned down at her and glanced around before leaning towards her conspiratorially. **"Okay, well just make sure you don't mess up the surprise I set up for the prince."**

She raised an eyebrow.

**"What would that be? I hope it's not too obvious a set up, because he'll probably blame me for it if it is."**

" **Why's that?"**

" **Well…I just got fired for interrupting his beauty sleep. Fireball got into his room and well…I couldn't just leave him there and risk the fucking steam-shit lighting him up."** He looked at her, aghast. She couldn't tell if he was more startled by the announcement or by the cursing.

 **"Sorry…guess I've been around one too many Earth Kingdom soldiers. Anyway…Fireball's alright,"** she continued, **"I 'accidentally' let him go when I was carrying him to be thrown off the ship, so he's fine. What's the surprise you've got?"**

" **Wait a minute you don't get to just brush that off. You're fired?"**

" **Yeah."**

Garron swore quietly.

" **You off the next time we dock then?"**

" **I'd assume so."**

" **He didn't say?"**

"… **I'd assume so."**

" **Talk to the the General. Maybe he can change the Prince's mind."**

" **Yeah."** She hated it. Asking for help again when she'd already been given so much help. Uncle was the only reason she'd gotten on this ship in the first place.

 **"So…what's the surprise?"** she asked, determined to put on a brave face for Garron.  
 **  
"Uh…well, you know how we have to pull out the catapult and take a look at it tomorrow to make sure it still works properly?"**

**"Yeah."**

**"Well, the prince likes to come down to take a look at it for himself to make sure it's inspected properly. He always leans down to look into the actual holder for the projectiles. Moment he does that, a perfectly innocent problem with the ship's rigging will occur which will stop the boat suddenly. Let's just say if everything goes well, our prince will be taking a nice morning swim."**

He smiled down at her and she gave him a weak smile back. **"Sounds like a well-deserved start to the morning."  
**  
 **"Well, I hate to tell you this but he shouldn't be hurt any by it. He'll be doing his inspection right after he practices bending with Jee and Adar, so he'll still be in his practice robe. No armor to pull him down and the water we're sailing in is deep enough there's no danger from rocks."**

" **No concern about sea serpents or buffalosharks, eh?"**

" **Maybe if we were near Kyoshi. But nah, they're no serpents around here. And only a stupid buffaloshark would mess with the prince when he's as angry as he'll be after he's dunked."**

**"What time should I be working on deck?"**

**"Hmmm...it'll be later this morning. I'll send Hadji to let you know when it's about to happen."**

**"Sounds good. I'll look forward to it."** She started to walk off.

" **Hey, Kali? I'm really sorry. Really though, talk to General Iroh. Whatever Zuko's reason for suddenly deciding to throw you off, I'm sure the General can do something about it. You just have to ask him."** She nodded, then went on to the kitchen. As she started preparing for the morning's breakfast, she heard a soft mew. Fireball peeked up at her from the vent in the floor.

" **We are** _ **so**_ **fucked, cat."**

* * *

Storming off from the group, Masami held her tattered shirt away from her body. She had a sleeveless type cover underneath the shirt, but behind this and her hooded cloak she was running out of clothing. She should have been angrier at Aang for the messing around with fire, but she wasn't; not really. She wasn't as mad at Sokka as she had sounded either truth be told. She knelt by the water, and held the shirt under, trying to get some of the singed places off so she could get a better look at it.

" **Oh well, I can get another one."** She muttered to herself as she lifted the clothing from the water. She looked up as the Deserter walked up from behind her. She used her waterbending to pull the water out of her clothing.

" **I have to admit I am envious of your waterbending. I've always wished I were blessed like you - free from this burning curse.** " He said as he knelt with her.

 **"You're an incredible bender, you have power that I could never hope to have."** She assured him, smiling lightly.

 **"** **Water brings healing and life. But fire brings only destruction and pain. It forces those of us burdened with its care to walk a razor's edge between humanity and savagery. Eventually, we are torn apart."** The way he thought about fire made her sad, and she wanted to mention that it wasn't true, but they were cut short in their conversation. Fire was shot from approaching ships. Jeong Jeong broke the flames apart with a quick move, putting himself along the shoreline, he looked over his shoulder and spoke,

 **"** **Go get your friends and flee! Do not come back here or you will all be destroyed. Hurry!"** Masami nodded, staggering up the shore to look for Aang and Sokka.

" **Masami!"** Sokka cried as she got up the hill. **"Are you hurt?"** He asked, his voice concerned.

" **No, I'm fine. My shirt isn't so much but I don't care. We have to go! Ships are attacking. Where's Aang?"** Sokka pointed down the hill to Jeong Jeong's hut, taking off at a sprint Masami flew through the door. **"Aang!"**

" **I'm never firebending again."** He answered morosely. **"Jeong Jeong tried to tell me that I wasn't ready. I wouldn't listen."**

" **You will have to do it sometime, but it doesn't matter right now. We need to move!"** She urged.

" **No, never again."**

 **"If this has to do with me, you don't need to worry about it. You didn't hurt me."** She tried a different approach.

" **But I could have."**

" **But you didn't, but we can argue semantics later; we have to go. Fire Nation boats just got here and they have Jeong Jeong and he told me to go."**

" **I** **have to help him!"** Aang cried, airbending himself to his feet and taking off in the direction Masami had just come. She turned and ran right at his heels, though she was stopped by Sokka with a grab to the forearm.

" **Jeong Jeong!"** Aang cried as he got down to the bottom of the hill and onto the shore.

 **"** **Men! Take the deserter!"** Zhao ordered, and the men formed a circle around the Master. Aang's scared face was turned into an expression of amazement as the man went from standing in the middle trapped to disappearing in a large fireball.

 _ **"**_ **It's a trick! He's run off into the woods. Find him!"** Zhao ordered his men, before turning to Aang. **"Let's find out what my old master has taught you."**

 **"** **YOU were Jeong Jeong's student**?" Aang asked, dubiously.

 **"** **Until I got bored."** Zhao countered, shooting a fireball at Aang, who dodged it and the following one.

 **"** **I see he taught you how to duck and run like a coward. But I doubt he showed you what a firebender is truly capable of!"** Zhao shouted, and shot more fireballs at Aang. One sailed right over his head, though Aang was able to get down fast enough that it didn't hit him, he balanced himself on one finger and a spinning blast of flat air.  
 **  
** _ **"**_ **Whoa! Wild shot!"**

" **I'll show you wild!"** Zhao snarled. His next attacks were all rapid fire, one right after the other in varying sizes that ended up with Aang unscathed and the trees behind them on fire. The air around them became smokey.

 _ **"**_ **No self control..."** Aang whispered to himself, glancing at Zhao's boats. They were made of wood, this would be perfect.

 _ **"**_ **Stand and fight, Avatar!"** Zhao growled with impatience.

" **Oh, were we fighting? I thought you were just getting warmed up."** Aang shot back.

 **"** **I was!"** Zhao fired more and more shots, Aang managing to dodge them all. Aang landed across from him again.

" **Is that all you got? Man, they'll make anyone an admiral these days!"** Aang cried as he launched himself out of the way of another fire blast, and onto the top deck of the nearest ship. Turning his back to Zhao, he stuck his butt out behind him.

 _ **"**_ **Ahoy! I'm Admiral Zhao!"** He hollered, wiggling his rear as he did. Zhao followed Aang onto the ship, and shot fire right behind him. Jumping his place on the first ship, he landed on the second, landing on the railing. He pulled a face before speaking, **"I don't know why, but I thought you'd be better than Zuko."** He dropped to his back with a wide eyed expression as a large fire blast past over his head. He looked up in time to see that his plan was working, and Zhao had destroyed one of the former ships guard rails.

 _ **"**_ **Sloppy. Very sloppy."** Aang admonished, pulling himself up and across the deck of the boat. Zhao let out blast after blast as he went. Once on the third ship, Aang pressed himself against the wall; trying to avoid detection.

 _ **"**_ **No wonder to run now, you little smart mouth!"** Zhao snarled ominously as he jumped in front of Aang, hand extended to shoot another fire blast that Aang also dodged. Aang floated to the front of the ship behind Zhao.

 _ **"**_ **You've lost this battle."** Aang informed Zhao as he airbent himself out of harms way again.

" **Are you crazy? You haven't thrown a single blow!** " Zhao cried,

 **"** **No, but you have."** Aang informed him, motioning to the other ships. Zhao cringed as he looked over the graveyard of burning ships he'd left in his wake. **"Jeong Jeong said you had no restraint."** Aang hoped off the side of the boat, landing in the water. **  
**  
 _ **"**_ **Have a nice walk home**!" He cried as he ran for the bison now waiting for him on the beach.

They all started talking once they were in the air.

 **"** **Wait! Where's Jeong Jeong?"** Aang asked, looking over the saddle.

 **"** **He disappeared. They all did."** Sokka said as they looked over the camp, but there was no one left. They all lapsed into silence for a second.

" **Are you sure I didn't hurt you?"** Aang asked, looking at Masami. She smiled, nodding.

" **Lost my shirt, but it's not the first time that's happened. Kali and I had sparring matches where I came out a lot worse then that, it's not a problem."** She assured him.

" **I figure this is better anyhow, your new look without the extra shirt. I'm sure Aang likes it, right Aang?"** Sokka teased with a knowing grin.

" **Sokka!"** Aang cried with a red face, Masami felt her face redden too but she smiled all the same. It was good to know despite a fight, the group could come back together again, afterall that's what friends did, right?


	8. Wake up!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I'm so sorry this took me so long! I have been having a rough time, and it's just taken my muse away! Anyhow, I have no excuse for how poorly my Masami parts are written; but they will improve!
> 
> Until next time,   
> Stay Flamin!

The group flew closer and closer to the South Pole, the days started to blend together. But instead of staying on Appa for another night, they decided to give him a longer rest and stop in a little settlement. While shopping that day, they heard about a little gathering to tell stories from long ago.

" **So travelers, the next time you think you hear a strange large bird talking, take a closer look, it might not be a giant parrot, but a flying man! A member of a secret group of air walkers who laugh at gravity and laugh at those bound to the earth by it!"**

" **Aren't airbender stories the best?"** Aang chirped from the groups perch in the back of the small gathering.

**"Is that how it was then?"** Masami asked, curiously.

**"** **I laugh at gravity all the time. Haha! Gravity."** Aang responded, happily. Masami snorted, and Sokka gave him a look. All eyes went to the storyteller as he came around to pander for money; which they didn't have.

_**"**_ **Jingle, jingle!"** He said with a shake of his hat. Sokka reached in his pockets and managed to produce lint, and a nearly deceased beetle.  
 **  
** _ **"**_ **Sorry!"**

" **Aww. Cheapskates!"** As the man made away from them, Masami watched Aang run towards him and exchange words. When he returned to them, his face held much enthusiasm.

" **These aren't old stories, guys! The old man saw the air walkers last week! We have to go!"** Masami furrowed her brow, but followed Aang in his haste back to Appa.

The next morning, they found themselves approaching the Northern Air Temple. Masami hadn't ever seen anything like this. She heard stories about the Air Nomads and their society from her Grandfather, but by her time they were all gone. And it was nearly impossible to approach an airtemple on foot. It was certainly not something she would have ever tried, but she felt excited as she was approaching this one.

" **Hey, we're almost at the Northern Air Temple! This is where they had the championships for sky bison polo."** Aang gushed.

**"** **Do you think we'll really find airbenders?"** Masami asked whoever was listening,

**"** **You want me to be like you, or totally honest?"** Sokka whistled.

**"Charming as always, Sokka."** Masami assented.

" **I'm just being honest."** He said with a small smile. Masami rolled her eyes. The group's attention all came into focus as they found people flying, really flying, around the outside of the Air Temple.  
 **  
** _ **"**_ **Huh! They really are airbenders!"** Sokka cried. Masami was too stunned to speak, but Aang knew differently, falling back into a slouch.

" **No** **, they're not."** He affirmed, starting to pull the bison away.

**"** **What do you mean they're not? Those guys are flying!"** Sokka tried again.

**"** **Gliding maybe, but not flying. You can tell by the way they move. They're not airbending. Those people have no spirit."** Aang said in a flat tone.

Just then, one of the gliders made a beeline right for them, nearly taking out Masami who was kneeling out of the saddle trying to get a better look at the airwalkers. She screamed and pulled her head down as fast as her reflexes allowed.

" **Excuse you, Asshole!"** She yelled after the assailant, who from the sounds of his laughter was pretty young. Aang made a face as he heard the laughter too, and he flew off after the boy. Masami watched him fly off after the other, but before she can lean any farther to one side to look after where Aang's had gone, a large grouping of the airwalkers flew right in front of Appa, and startled him. Masami flew backwards with another squeal and Sokka made the decision to land the bison.

As they dismounted the bison, she was glad to have her feet on solid ground again. As she stood, catching her breath a kid brushed past her in a hurried manner to go cheer the rude boy who had nearly taken her head off on. Without thinking she reached out and stuck out her leg to trip the second one running passed her, and the kid lost their balance and took out their companion when they fell. She smiled lightly, and stepped over them towards the edge to go look out after Aang.

As she watched the boys try to out do each other she made a face, she shouldn't have been surprised. They were boys after all, and boys would be boys. As the group cheered over the smoky caricature of Aang, Masami crossed her arms. She looked up again as she saw him coming down to land and she stepped out of the way to give him more space. As the other boy skidded to a stop, Aang stepped beside her. Without thinking, she uncrossed her arms and reached for his hand. He twined their fingers together as he felt her hand on his. As the group was approached by the boy in the wheelchair and his friends, Masami folded herself into Aang's side in a defensive gesture, clearly not liking this situation at all. Sokka stood close behind them, but he was clearly a lot more relaxed about this situation.

" **Hey! You're a REAL airbender!"** The boy in the wheelchair stated with a sense of wonder.

" **You don't say."** Masami groused, her eyes narrowed. The boy was unfazed.

" **You must be the Avatar! That's amazing! I, I, I've heard stories about you**." He continued.

**"** **Thanks."** Aang responded awkwardly, smiling sort of. Masami felt him squeeze her hand, and she returned the pressure in a reassuring fashion. From behind them, Sokka walked towards the boy.

**"** **Wow! This glider chair is incredible!"** He cooed, looking the thing over. It was rather impressive, Masami wouldn't deny that.

" **If you think this is good, wait until you see the other stuff my Dad designed."** The boy said with a smile, rolling towards the door into the air temple. Aang and Masami followed after the now chatting pair.

* * *

Garron's plan had, indeed, gone off without so much as a hitch. Kali was sometimes startled by just how effective his planned out pranks were. She'd watched him pull well over a dozen pranks on the prince alone during the months she'd been with them and not once had he been caught, though there was no doubt Uncle had his suspicions. She sometimes wondered why someone that clever was stuck with them rather than at a more advanced position. Or at least in the "real Fire Navy" as some of the crew called it.

She'd made sure to be near the front of the bow so that she could get a good look at Zuko's face as the catapult launched him over her. It had made her feel slightly better for a while, thinking of how ridiculous he'd looked, but now, days later, her thoughts dwelt on the nearness of the next port and the lack of sleep started to take its toll. This was her fourth night in a row with little to no sleep. Her tendency towards sleepless nights had always come and gone in spells. Sometimes she could go for over a month sleeping perfectly normally and other times that month would be spent sleeping one or two hours at a time at most, nightmares or general restlessness depriving her of more than that. When she'd been with Masami though, at least she'd been able to afford the occasional nap during the day without fear of punishment.

Now though, she despaired. The last she'd overheard, the Avatar was assumed to be heading for the Northern Water Tribe. To find a waterbending master to teach him. She wondered if that was part of why Masami was traveling with him. Maybe a master could help her too. In ways Kali couldn't.

She shook her head to dispel such thoughts and tried to concentrate on the problem. How was she, an insignificant and relatively poor girl with no real roots left anywhere going to get to the Northern Water Tribe? Even Zuko would have trouble getting there if the Avatar reached it before they caught up to him and he had a ship to take him there. She, on the other hand, would soon be Shoeboat-less. Thanks to him.

She looked up irritably as someone walked down the hall towards her.

" **Ah, Kali."**

Uncle.

" **Unc-General Iroh, sir."**

He gave her a curious look as he reached her.

" **I have been looking for you. I…was wondering, has the schedule for morning tea changed?" S** he started and blinked. She'd forgotten all about the tea.

" **I…I'm so sorry, sir. I completely…just, forgot about it…"** she trailed off, ashamed and embarrassed.

He looked concerned.

" **Are you alright?"**

" **Oh yes. I was just distracted, moping…I mean mopping. Mopping like I always do."** She was doing a terrible job of playing this off and she knew it.

" **I did not realize my nephew had asked you to mop AGAIN. At this rate, the ship will end up more polished than the Firelord's finest silver!"** He laughed and she tried not to blush as she suddenly realized Zuko hadn't said a word to her about mopping today. Not a word since he'd fired her.

" **I'm really sorry about the tea, General Iroh. I'll get on it right away. Where should I bring it to you, sir?"**

" **Err…in my room, if you would be so kind."**

" **Yes, sir."** She hastened away, as he followed her with troubled eyes.

* * *

Masami couldn't decide where to leave her eyes as they entered the air temple. Everything was…dirty, though. It was not like she expected. She knew these were ancient and hadn't been used in a long time before these people..but this didn't seem right to her. The dirty looked new, and was probably because of the people living here now; which made her uncomfortable.

As they entered a large chamber at the end of the hall they were walking down, they were bombarded with steel pipes going every which way; some into the wall, others through the ceiling. Masami frowned, looking at Sokka as he spoke and ran ahead of the group.

" **Wow!"**

**"** **Yeah, my Dad is the mastermind behind this whole place! Everything's powered by hot air. It even pumps hot air currents outside to give us a lift when we're gliding."** Said the boy in the wheelchair. Masami turned her head as she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. She saw a woman get into a lift and pull a rope to get herself up to the next level of the building. It was impressive, but it seemed to come at a pretty nasty cost to the history of this building.

**"** **This place is unbelievable."** Aang's voice broke her thoughts. Her cerise eyes flitted towards him with a sad look.

**"** **Yeah, it's great isn't it?"** Teo inquired.

**"** **No, just unbelievable."** Aang responded morosely, as he moved away from the group. Masami sighed,

" **Before it was like this, Aang spent time here. I think he's…um. Shocked I guess."** Masami tried to explain, though she didn't see why she needed to; should seem obvious that this wasn't alright with Aang.

**"It's so much cooler now!"** Sokka cried, moving from place to place; trying to get a look at everything. Meanwhile, Masami approached Aang from behind where he was looking at murals on the wall. Masami could make out some of the picture, it was the Nomads and they're Sky Bison. But now it was just a cracked, sooty shell with holes lining it.

" **This is supposed to be the history of my people."** He looked at her for a moment but stepped away before she could say anything. She wasn't sure if she would have said anything regardless. What would she tell him? That it would get better? He was the only one left, and they were destroying sacred pieces of art being here. Gods only knew what else they had destroyed. Masami's eyes followed him as he approached a Bison fountain, though it certainly wasn't water that was flowing through it. As she walked closer, the statue emitted a black cloud of dust which caused Aang to make an angry sound.

" **Are any parts of the temple the same?"** Masami asked Teo over her shoulder. He nodded with a smile, and he led the way out of the center chamber. Sokka led the group, walking far ahead of them with Teo, Masami hung in the middle and Aang brought up the rear.

As they used a lift, and came through a doorway they were out on a narrow walkway between buildings. Aang seemed right at home, Sokka wasn't paying attention because he was too busy talking to Teo and Masami wasn't so sure she liked this path. She glanced over the side, and regretted it immediately. She brought her head back up very straight and forbid herself from looking over the side again.

As the group got off the path they were greeted with the high walls of a court yard area. Masami looked around as the doors that led to what she assumed might have been living quarters. Masami stood looking at a portrait of a monk, she turned her head to look behind her at whoever was approaching her, and she turned back when she heard,

" **Look out!"** But beyond that, she didn't remember much else.

Aang's grey eyes watched as a wrecking ball came through yet another sacred piece of his people and sent rocks flying, one of which knocked his friend in the head. As Masami hit the ground not far from where she'd been standing, he stood frozen in place as Sokka and Teo went to check on Masami. When Sokka lifted her head, Aang saw a small trickle of blood run down the side of her face and everything in his head became all the more hazy. He could see the scene before him, but more than anything he saw red; his hands vibrating with anger.

The arrow on his head started to glow, and he could feel that anger being amplified by the power that came to him naturally when he went into the Avatar State; the unnatural power of all the Avatars before him.

" **Do you know what you've done?!"** Aang's normally rather passive voice was joined by the echoes of the past. The group that came through the hole in the wall stood frozen in terror. Bringing his hands up, Aang shot a powerful gust of air out of his hands and sent their wrecker falling off the cliff side.

" **Aang! Stop it!"** Sokka cried, trying to get his friend under control. Aang's eyes fell on Sokka as he turned towards him, the anger fell away; and Aang pitched forward shakily as he came out of the Avatar State. He looked over his shoulder once more at the inventor as he moved back towards his group as he helped Sokka lift Masami. They followed Teo so they could take her somewhere else to get the small wound on her head under control.

Above her head, Masami could hear whispering, she blinked and the first thing she found when she opened her eyes was Momo looking down at her. She made a slightly startled noise, but didn't push herself back like her hammering heart told her to.

" **Jeez Momo, why are you hovering? When did you find us?"** She asked the lemur as she sat up slowly. He made one of his customary chitters and crawled onto her shoulder. She looked around to find herself in a dimly lit hallway; an elaborate set of doors before her, and Aang and Teo were talking in front of the doors.

" **I'm sorry, this is the last part of temple that the same as it was. I want it to stay that way."** Aang said as they looked at the doors.

**"** **I completely understand. I just wanted you to know it was here."** Teo answered respectfully.

**"** **Thanks."** Aang responded, dropping his chin to his chest. They didn't seem to notice she was awake yet. As she started to get up, she felt Momo make a leap off her shoulder and grab for something on the ground. He came back with a hairy crab thing. He was fighting with the creature, trying to get it in his mouth.

" **No, Momo. Don't eat that!"** Masami chided, taking the crab from him. It crawled across her fingers and she smiled, looking up as Aang and Teo approached her.

" **How's your head?"** Aang asked, dropping to his knees, tilting her head to the side to look at it.

" **Achy, but alright."** She said with a smile.

" **My dad's sorry about that."** Teo said with an apologetic smile.

" **I've had worse."** Masami answered, smiling back.

" **If you're feeling up to moving, there's something else I want to show you guys."** Teo tilted his head to the side as he spoke. Masami nodded, and got to her feet. She let the crab creature go onto a pipe as they walked down the hall.

* * *

Kali started as Kahn suddenly shouted behind her in the kitchen.

" **Wake up!"**

She yelped as her arm bumped into the hot handle of the pot she'd been supposed to be stirring. Kahn frowned down at her.

" **Sorry. You were 'sleep. Okay?"**

" **Yeah…just almost got burnt."**

" **Okay?"**

" **Yeah, I just said I'm fine,"** she glanced back at him irritably. Kahn, because of the blow dealt him by an earthbender a few years prior to joining Zuko's crew, sometimes needed a little repetition in order for things to sink in. He was in the kitchen at the moment because Zuko hadn't found anything else for him to do. Jee had sent him to "help Kali in the kitchen" in order to keep him occupied.

" **No. Really. Y'okay?"**

" **Yes, I'm just fine,"** she scowled and took the pot off the stove quickly, then opened the oven, hoping that slightly singed smell was from the oven itself and not the roast skunk geese below. Why they were eating skunk goose today was beyond her. She didn't remember buying them but they had appeared in their stocked supplies all the same so she'd cooked them. Skunk goose was fine so long as you cut the right parts out but there was always the risk that the butcher had missed something small and then…well…Kali had had the misfortune of eating that before and it was even less pleasant coming back up than it was going down.

" **No, you're not."**

" **Yes I am."**

" **No."**

" **Yes."**

" **NO."**

" **YES!"**

She turned around.

" **I am…flamin', Kahn! JUST F-FLAMIN'! SHHHHII…!"**

Her protests were cut off and dissolved into a repressed hiss as she hit the pot again in her enthusiasm over explaining how flamin' she was. Kahn backed up a step then quietly turned (the kitchen was so small it allowed for him to do little more than that) and got her a wet towel, which she hastily pressed against her arm after yanking off the long thin glove that had done little to prevent the heat from scorching her. At least my gloves are black so they won't show any scorching, she thought glibly. After a few minutes, she took the towel off long enough to take another look at the red skin. It still hurt, but, she realized to her relief, that it hadn't been as bad as it had felt.

" **You are not flamin',"** Kahn said after a moment. His expression changed as he looked down at her arm. Aside from the current irritated red spot, the arm was striped by a series of older red marks running almost horizontally across it. Kali wrapped the towel further around it, conscious of what he was staring at,

" **No…I guess I'm not. Can you strain the sprouts for me please? I need to see how much of the skunk goose is…edible."** He gazed at her for a moment then started straining the sprouts. Thankfully, she found that the birds had not been much burnt by her brief negligence. She hoped to herself that whatever little burnt parts she missed (or gross parts the butcher had missed) would end up on Zuko's plate. She cautiously carved them, trying to ensure no one who wasn't Zuko would have to suffer from either issue. Silence settled between the temporary cook and her temporary assistant as they worked.

" **Okay,"** she finally said, wiping her face on her still gloved arm, " **Think we're ready for lunch."**

" **Your arm?"** Kahn gestured at it uneasily.

" **It'll be okay….the burn wasn't as bad as I thought it was,"** she smiled weakly and slipped the glove back on, trying not to wince as it slid over the new burn. Kahn looked unconvinced.

" **Why aren't you flamin', Kali?"** She sighed as they walked up the stairs, carrying the food.

" **I'm not flamin' because I'm fired, Kahn. I'm leaving once we reach port."**

The sound of the ship's main horn sounded as they reached the top of the stairs. Most of the rest of the crew was on deck with Uncle, gazing into the harbor. At the small port town. Uncle inhaled deeply, then turned around.

" **Ahhhh. Looks like our goose is cooked!"**

* * *

The group emerged back where they had started, on the landing where people on gliders were flying over head. If someone else dive-bombed Masami she was going to sit on Appa and not leaving again. She looked as Teo pointed to some of the gliders and explained how it worked.

" **The wind will carry you. It supports something inside you – something even lighter than air, and that something takes over when you fly."** Teo informed her, seemingly trying to entice her to try flying like the rest of his people.

" **No thanks."** She said with a small smile, crossing her left arm over to grab the elbow of her right as she tried to make herself smaller.

" **It'll be fun! Where's your sense of adventure?"** He asked with a smile, she ducked her head before answering,

" **I left it back in Kyoshi."** She implored, wanting to be left alone.

" **You're from the Earth Kingdom?"** He asked curiously.

" **Yeah, pretty much."** She answered dismissively, ending the conversation. She glanced as he and Aang started speaking, and Teo rolled away to have someone help him hook his glider up. She assumed he and Aang were going to go flying again. She would just go spend time with Appa. As she turned to go, Aang caught her elbow.

" **Come on."** He said simply, holding her arm gently. She took a few steps towards him, the question still written on her face. He smiled, **"Do you trust me?"** He asked her and waited patiently for an answer. She nodded. He opened his glider, and turned it towards her. **"Grab the top part and hold on."** She did so, and closed her eyes. With ease, he pushed himself up, lifted the glider with her added weight and ran towards the edge of the platform.

Her breath held in her throat as she expected the feeling of falling to take over soon, and panic that came with that terrible feeling. But there was none, that feeling never came. This wasn't falling, this was really and truly flying. After just enjoying the breeze hitting her face, she had the guts to open her eyes, and it was breath taking. Yes, it was scary, and she wasn't sure she would be willing to just use one of those gliders alone; but with this? Knowing she wasn't going to fall? She felt like this was true freedom, she could see why they spent all their time out here.

" **It's beautiful."** She breathed, and she heard Aang laugh, then he proceeded to flip them over so she was looking straight up at the sky. After the intial screech that left her mouth, she found the sky just as breath taking as the ground.

" **Still think so?"** He asked with a cheerful tone.

" **I think it's even more gorgeous this way; NO DON'T-!"** He flipped them again with another bought of cheerful laughter. On second thought, maybe a glider wouldn't be such a horrible idea.

" **Prince Zuko, what is the meaning of this?"** Uncle didn't normally question his nephew. A young man needed to make his own decisions after all. But a certain temporary cooking assistant had let slip what Uncle felt certain was the reason nearly the entire crew had seemed unusually reluctant to land at the port. And the reason for the lateness of his morning tea.

At the moment, they were anchored not far from the port under what Uncle felt was a rather blatantly false pretense of the docks being too crowded. Lieutenant Jee was a fine man and a loyal soldier. As such, his lying skills needed some work.

" **I told you before, Uncle, the lieutenant said there's nowhere close to the actual port for us to land. If you really want to go ashore that badly to look for some woodwinds, I suggest you consider swimming or get someone else to do it for you."** Zuko glowered at his meditation candles.

" **This isn't about Music Night, Prince Zuko. This is about the Avatar."**

" **What?!"** It didn't take much to get his nephew's attention. Uncle stroked his beard, choosing his words with care.

" **Yes. I am surprised, my nephew. Surprised that you would be willing to wait for even a few hours when we could be gaining those hours on the Avatar."**

" **You know I hate waiting, Uncle. But we can't move on without supplies. Besides, that catapult needs fixing."**

" **I agree that the importance of proper supplies and working machinery easily are worth a few hours' wait. They demand it even. But, while you were meditating earlier, I had the crew look over the catapult again. It seems that just the smallest piece in the triggering mechanism had quite unfortunately and accidentally slid out of place. They have fixed the problem."**

" **We still need more supplies. It's been a couple of weeks since our last port."**

" **That is another thing I wanted to tell you. You see, only just now I became engrossed in conversation with our dear cook and house, or rather ship, keeper, Kali-"** Zuko grunted and looked away. **"-and learned that the last time we stopped, she stocked us up very well with supplies because she knew how likely it was we would not wish to stop at this port on the way up north. So well in fact that we have more than enough salted terracuda and prepared skunk goose and turtle duck to last us to the last Fire Nation stronghold before the North Pole! Now, it is true that I am very anxious to find my woodwinds so that I can begin teaching the crew to play something more than Lieutenant Jee's pipe, but even so-"** Zuko brushed past him abruptly.

" **It'll wait, Uncle. We're leaving. Lieutenant Jee!"** he shouted. He hurried down the hallway and out of sight before Uncle could say another word. Uncle smiled softly to himself then breathed a sigh of relief. Abruptly Zuko's face reappeared around the corner. He'd remembered something.

" **Uncle, the next time you speak with Kali, tell her to make me duck instead the next time she makes skunk goose for the crew. There's something…just not right about that skunk goose."** Uncle smiled innocently.

" **I will be sure to tell her, my nephew."** And then Zuko was gone again, still shouting for the lieutenant.

* * *

Having landed the glider after nearly successfully scaring Masami no less then 3 other times, Aang agreed to open that door for Teo.

" **I can't believe I'm finally going to see what's inside."** Teo exclaimed as they stood before the doors again. Masami watched Aang as he brought his arms up to send air through the pipes on the doors. Though, she couldn't actually see anything she could see the force that it took to get it through all those pipes as she saw the pipes rattle.

What the kids found was not what they had expected; and even before any of them had time to process anything because foot steps got their attention. Aang turned his attention to the approaching footsteps.

" **You're making weapons for the Fire Nation!"** Aang accused, pointing at the professor.

Sokka appeared behind him, **"You make weapons for the Fire Nation!?"**

Teo looked at his father, **"Explain all this! Now!"**

" **It was about a year after we moved here. Fire Nation soldiers found our settlement. You were too young to remember this tale. They were going to destroy everything, burn it to the ground. I pleaded with them, I begged them to spare us. They asked what I had to offer. I offered... my services. You must understand, I did this for you!"** The old man tried to explain, though Teo wasn't hearing it. He turned away.

Before they were truly able to see the old man's point, the group was interrupted by the tinkling of the bell.

" **Hide! Quickly!"**

As the group hide, they discussed what Sokka had learned, and how he thought that he could fix this. But, before anything concrete was set; Aang had other plans.

" **The deal's off!"**

" **The Avatar!"** The Fire Nation Man cried,

" **Aang, don't get involved!"** But it was too late; the man vowed to burn the air temple. Sokka had other plans though and they involved some sort of War Balloon.

As the enemy departed, the gang set to regroup; all gathering with Teo and his people atop the tower, they readied themselves for a fight.

While Sokka gathered the war balloons and materials for the flight, Masami stood with a group who was fighting off some rather impressive tank machines, it crossed her mind that maybe Teo's father had created those too. Her footing was off slightly as she moved to avoid a rock; and for a second time that day she found herself fading to black.

Having slept through the entire fight, Masami was kicking herself mentally when she came to. She felt like she hadn't held her weight at all this fight, and was rather ashamed of that fact. As the group said their goodbyes to the people of air temple, Masami kept quiet. Once on top of Appa again, she was still quiet.

" **Is your head okay?"** Sokka asked, lounging on a pile of their stuff.

" **It's fine."** She answered quietly, looking away and ending the conversation.

* * *

Kali stared at the small, sturdy knife made of bone with its delicately carved handle. This had been a present from Masami's grandfather, Pappi, to Masami before he'd passed away. The day the two sisters had been separated, Kali had been carrying the majority of their belongings. It was unusual for Masami to part with her knife but that day, for whatever reason, she'd left it by the morning's campfire while breaking camp and Kali had casually dropped it into their pack to make sure they didn't leave it behind. Now she looked at it, wondering once more if she'd ever see her sister again.

She lifted her small bundle of belongings and walked out of the sleeping quarters. She remembered how frightened she'd felt the first few weeks she'd spent trying to sleep there. Between the crew's snoring, Hadji's habit of telling stories in his sleep, and her nervousness over sleeping in a room full of strange men, she'd slept very little. Now, though, she prepared to leave it behind knowing it might very well have been the safest and most comfortable place to sleep she'd have had in the coming months. She could feel the ship shifting under her and knew they must be heading into port. Space at the docks had finally opened up (that or Jee's lie had ceased to be enough to delay the impatient prince).

She had barely gotten down the hallway from the crew's quarters when Uncle came towards her.

" **Kali!"** he beamed, **"I was just looking for you."**

" **Sir?"** she looked up miserably. Did he still not know? She was pretty sure most if not all of the crew had heard from Garron or even Kahn by now that she was done.

" **Yes! You see, it seems my nephew has had a change of heart."**

She blinked.

" **We are not going to wait any longer at this port for the docks to clear. Since we have SO MANY provisions already which you were kind enough to pack for us and the catapult is, incredibly enough, working properly again, he has decided we should move on until we reach the last Fire Nation port before we are forced to sail to the freezing regions of the North Pole."**

He shivered in anticipation of the north and smiled at her.

" **Consequently, since we have already spent a few hours here, it would seem that it is nearly dinnertime and I think,"** he paused to look at her meaningfully, **"that we will be needing our cook for that."**

She stared at him as he winked at her and turned to walk back the way he had come.

" **If you would be kind enough to place your belongings back in the crew's quarters, I am sure we would all be glad for another helping of the skunk goose I found for a great price at the last port tonight before settling down for a delightful Music Night."**

He stopped and stroked his beard.

" **Except for my nephew actually. He is neither interested in music nor in skunk goose. If you would please prepare for him a separate meal of duck, I think that would suit him quite well."**

Kali stared after him in shock for a moment then called out.

" **Sir?"**

" **Hmmm…?"**

" **Do you know where all of that skunk goose came from even? I didn't buy it…"**

" **Of course! Skunk goose is my favorite…well, one of my favorites anyway,"** he laughed and patted his belly, **"Anything properly prepared is up there with me. I saw it for a good price in the last port and I could not resist!"**

" **Oh. Thank you, sir."**

He beamed and walked off, leaving her alone to contemplate the benefits of having a general on your side.

**A/N:** _So! I'm very, very sorry this update took SO LONG! It's all my fault, it's been a rough month or two. And, I have no excuse other than lack of muse for how poorly my last Masami part is written; but it's filler so I felt better here then in the important part later. So until next time, stay flamin!_


	9. GOOD MORNING, MASTER PAKKU!

The group had been flying for what felt like years over endless amounts of water. Masami hadn't known there was this much water in the world. Masami laid with her back to everyone else, closing her eyes for a moment. She'd been tense for most of the trip; for being a waterbender this much water was still a little unnerving. She had her body curled in the direction she knew Aang was, though everyone else's locations were a, everyone else being Sokka and Momo; but as usually Sokka had something to say eventually.

" **I'm not one to complain, but can't Appa fly any higher?"** Sokka questioned, looking over the edge of the saddle, Masami rolled onto her back to be able to look at him as he spoke. She rolled her head back as she heard Aang get involved.

**_"_ I have an idea, why don't we all get on your back and you can fly us to the North Pole?" **Aang shot back, before she could say anything; Sokka wiggled his butt in their direction.

" **I'd love to! Climb on everyone, Sokka's ready for takeoff!"** Momo was apparently ready to go as he jumped up on Sokka's back at the invitation.

" **Stop it."** Masami chided as she rolled back over onto her stomach to shield her eyes from the sun and glare coming off the glaciers. **"We're all tired Sokka, even Appa. Let it go."** She reiterated, her words muffled by the saddle.

**"And for what? We can't even find the Northern Water Tribe. There's nothing up here."** As fate would have it, every time Sokka opened his mouth, something happened. A loud sound spooked Appa as ice came from one side, aimed towards his head. Aang sharply steered the bison away from the ice but another sharp part caused the creature to loose it completely and spill himself and passengers into the water. Masami's back hit the water hard, and she felt get all the air knocked out of her as she did. Ice covered Appa, and the group was approached by people in boats. She shakily swam towards the ice surrounding Appa and pulled herself out of the water onto it.

Using her bending, she cracked some of the ice around the creature and braced herself for an impending attack; but as fate would have it for once it seemed unnecessary tension as Sokka shouted,

**"They're waterbenders! We found the Water Tribe!"**

After identifying themselves, the group was released from ice, and Masami had a plethora of warm clothing thrown over her and a mountain of apologies on top of that. She made noncommittal sounds in response to most of them. Sitting in the saddle as Appa swam with the waterbenders, Aang's excited voice got her attention.

" **There it is!"** He shouted, tired eyes looked away form her hands up to the walls of this great place, carved out of ice. It was like nothing Masami had seen anywhere. She knew in part, some of this place was something she could almost consider home since the last member of her family aside from Kali was from this great place.

Why he left was a real question to Masami now. How did Kyoshi even compare to this? Waterbenders here truly controlled everything. Masami smiled at that fact,

" **I've never seen this many waterbenders."** Masami through her smile, looking at Aang.

" **We'll find someone to teach us no problem!"** He returned with an excited smile. As they looked at each other, it seemed Sokka looked at someone in a similar way as a boat passed going the other way.

" **It's beautiful here."** Masami said, looking up at the buildings they passed as Aang waved at those around them.

" **Yeah, she is."** Sokka responded in a dreamy way that made Masami look at the boat that passed them with a curious glance.

* * *

 

They were at a port. Which meant Kali should have been ousted from the ship by now. But Zuko hadn't said anything yet and no one else seemed in a hurry to enforce his orders for him. Especially not on Music Night, since that was about as light-hearted as things got on this ship.

Kali had timed her work in such a way to ensure that she was now scrubbing the deck, so that she could at least be in the same place as the music. Unfortunately, she was rapidly running out of deck to scrub and the music had only just started. Fortunately, she had Uncle on her side. Sometimes she felt as though he'd always been "on her side."

**"Kali, I must ask your assistance. I need you to dust this statue"** -he indicated the statue he'd purchased from the pirates **\- "play the Tsungi horn (since my nephew will not), and provide your services as a dance partner. These are very crucial orders. Can you fulfill them?"** ****  
  
She smiled hopefully down at him.

**"Of course, General Iroh."**

She glanced back at the darkened doorway and Uncle smiled at her.

**"Do not worry. I'm quite sure my nephew is too busy sitting in the dark of his room to object."**

He winked at her.

Uncle had been teaching her for a little while how to play the Tsungi horn, mostly during the time of day when Zuko regularly meditated. She wasn't the best but she could play the basics at least. She played a few songs, while Uncle sang or played the pipa. Then the crew decided to work on her dance moves. Adar and Obi were particularly good dancers. Adar had been teaching her a more advanced dance before Zuko had banned her from Music Nights. It was a beautiful but very complicated dance which seemed to be a ritualistic duel between two dancers. It had taken her a while to pick up and he had been forced to show it to her in slow steps. Now, Adar asked her to try it all the way through with him and she worried she'd do it wrong. She hadn't practiced in a while after all. Jee played the pipa in a lively fashion while the drums were beat with much vigor. They took their positions across from each other and, at the right moment, swung into action. Rapidly, they danced, gracefully flipping and twirling and lunging. Kali felt herself getting caught up in the dance. It felt like fire. Then, as quickly as it'd begun, it seemed to be over. Adar caught her in his arms, smiled down at her, and the crew clapped. She came back to reality.

Music Night was coming to a close and she sat watching as Hadji and Balbo danced to Uncle's singing. It had been a wonderful night, even though she'd have to spend the rest of the night working instead of sleeping if she wanted to dare hoping she'd get to keep her place on board. Uncle was in the middle of his song when suddenly the music stopped and all grew still. The crew stared as from the darkness an ominous figure with very prominent sideburns walked onto their ship.

* * *

 

Once the group reached the Palace, they were escorted inside. Masami was pulled by a group of older women away from the boys and she looked back over her shoulder with a bit of an alarmed expression.

" **No need to fear us child, you'll return to your friends before long."** She pulled on the ends of her hair, a nervous gesture, and found them hardened together at the ends, starting to freeze. She figured this probably was part of why they were taking her; she hadn't exactly been dressed overly appropriately given how she'd ended up with the group. Sure, she had a coat but nothing like the size one she probably should have had for the trip up here.

After being escorted into a room, she was placed by a fire, and then they brushed out her hair after the fire melted the ice. She allowed them to do as they would since they were clothing her when they didn't have to. They separated the top layer of her hair into two smaller sections, pulling from the top and making one side into a textured braid that met the other in the middle of the back of her head and then separated into another textured braid on the other side. Her natural curls started to come out too as her hair dried and it was something once it was done. Where the braid tapered off at the end, she felt them wrap something around the ends, she guessed to hold the braid better. She was then placed into an outfit very similar to that she'd seen Katara wearing, but the color was lighter. The jacket came to her ankles and she was put in pants under that and boots over the top. She was given gloves as well, and then she was set to rejoin her group. As they women left her back with Aang and Sokka, she bowed and thanked them once again.

As she turned around, she found Aang's eyes on her and it seemed they refused to leave her. She dropped her own, and fought a smile from breaking out on her face.

Soon after she was brought back to them, they were ushered to a long table up front of a banquet hall and they were apparently dining with the King and his family. She was glad she was dressed appropriately now.

**"Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother from the Southern Tribe, and with him he has brought a sister from the island of Kyoshi and they have brought with them someone very special, someone whom many of us believed disappeared from the world until now."** He paused, motioning to Aang, which brought a cheer from the crowd. **"The Avatar!** **We also celebrate my daughter's 16th birthday. Princess Yue is now of marrying age."**

The princess made her way towards the table, Masami looking over her shoulder to see her, she was very pretty. Unique looking with her white hair, Masami liked how it was styled.

**"Thank you, father. May the great Ocean and Moon Spirits watch over us during these troubled times."** She said before sitting down towards the end of the table, next to Sokka of all people. Masami wondered how soon the princess would regret that decision.

**"Now, Master Pakku and his students will perform!"** Masami and Aang looked up as an old man and some of his students took the stage before them. All the students were male? That struck Masami was unusual, but all the same she watched them with rapt attention as they passed a large water whip back and forth between them. Chancing a glance over at Aang, she found he was looking at her as well. Excitement passed between them as they looked back over to see the last of the performance, clapping as it finished. She glanced down the table to see Sokka leaning on his elbow, obviously trying to impress the Princess. Typical.

After picking at food for a while; most of what was presented Masami wasn't sure what somethings were, so she ate what she could identify rather than asking. She could ask Sokka later so she could know better what she was eating next meal, she looked up as the Chief took Aang to talk to the Master she had seen perform earlier, she cocked her head as she saw them speaking and Aang looked rather put out. Oh well, she supposed; maybe the Master believed in tough love.

She would find out soon enough that she wasn't exactly wrong.

* * *

 

Admiral Sideburns had come aboard to announce that he was going to launch an assault on the Northern Water Tribe in order to wipe them out once and for all. Personally, Kali wasn't a fan of wiping out entire civilization, but he seemed quite enthused. Thus, he would be recruiting Zuko's crew members to assist in the invasion. He'd also offered Uncle a chance to join him as his adviser, which the latter had respectfully declined. As the rest of the crew left, dismayed, to pack, Kali had looked over at Uncle, somewhat at a loss for what to do. She was part of Zuko's crew but she wasn't officially a Fire Nation soldier or even considered a citizen. For all intensive purposes, the world saw her as a citizen of the Earth Kingdom. Zhao had looked down at her and raised an eyebrow, frowning as he seemed to recognize from her clothing that she wasn't a regular part of the crew. Her dusty, entirely black outfit didn't really define her as anything.

**"And who might this be, General Iroh?"**

Uncle had looked at her uneasily then put on a smile as he looked up at Zhao.

**"This would be our cook. She's not actually a part of the regular crew. Our former cook left and so we had to take on a new one from the Earth Kingdom."**

Zhao had furrowed his brow then looked down at her as though he were inspecting her for defects. She forced herself to look him in the eyes firmly.

**"Hmm. Well since she apparently sees fit to become a part of the Fire Nation crew, it stands to reason that she should be just fine with joining the Fire Nation navy as well. Did she have any weapons when she joined your already notably ramshackle crew?"**

" **Well, she had a pair of swords…but they were confiscated by our ramshackle lieutenant for safety reasons."**

" **A pair of swords. Hmm…see that those confiscated swords are passed along with her. She will be watched carefully to ensure her obedience."**

Kali had bit her lip, glancing from one man to the other. Zhao'd raised an eyebrow.

**"Unless she'd prefer to become a prisoner. After all, I can't afford to take a chance on a person with no allegiances to the Fire Nation having inside knowledge on the Fire Nation's plans or equipment such as our ships."**

She'd clenched her fists and looked down.

**" I'm…at your service, Admiral Zhao."** ****  
  
She'd forced herself to do a slight bow of respect then looked back up. He smiled.

**"Good. Perhaps you'll be able to serve as a cook as well. Breakfast is just before dawn tomorrow. Be sure you aren't late to serve it."**

Now, Kali glanced around at the few members of the crew still packing. Nearly everyone was ready. She wondered if they'd survive the invasion. If she would. She thought of Adar and his hopes for a promotion. This would be a good chance if the Fire Navy won and he lived. She watched Balbo, who she worried was getting a little old for this sort of thing (along with Garrow), finish packing and stop to wait for Hadji and Kahn. How was Kahn supposed to keep his head on straight in the middle of a battle? He had enough trouble thinking straight as it was. She thought of Garron and Obi, who half the time seemed to treat her almost like a little sister. She'd probably never see them again, with their pranks and their cat. She froze. Their cat! Where was Fireball? Who'd take care of him once they were gone?

She rushed to find Obi.  
**  
**"Obi! Where's Fireball?"****

He looked back at her, his face worried as well. **"I don't know! I was just looking for him. I need to take the little fella off the ship and find him a decent home,"** He looked up anxiously towards the upper deck, **"But the admiral's men are waiting and we've all got to report up on deck soon or else they'll come find us."**

**"You go on up. I'll find him. Where have you looked so far?"**

"Most of the rooms and I've called up most of the vents. No luck!"

She sighed and thought of the one place she knew he probably hadn't checked, **"Have you looked in the prince's room?"** **  
**  
His face changed as he grimaced. **"No."**

**"Don't worry,"** she placed a hand on his shoulder, **"I'll find him. Now go on up before you get into trouble."** ****  
  
He paused for a moment, then nodded and headed upstairs. She rushed over to Zuko's room and would have gone in had she not heard Zhao speaking. She stopped then moved back down the hallway and looked for a place to hide if she needed to. There was a closet. Hearing Zhao's voice grow louder (he was talking about the Blue Spirit), she ducked into it and waited silently as he passed by. A moment later, she could hear Zuko exploding while Uncle tried to calm him down. She looked down as something moved against her leg. Fireball!

**"Mew?"**

She picked him up and shushed him. Unable to think of any other way to get him off the ship without Zhao's men noticing, she put him in her bag and hoped he'd keep quiet long enough for her to get off the ship and let him go. Then she hastened upstairs, stopping only to grab what was left of Fireball's milk from the pantry and put it in her bag as well.

* * *

 

The following morning, Aang and Masami got up before the sun, eating quietly and dressing so they could go meet Master Pakku but not wake Sokka. They walked in silence, neither overly excited at being awake this early it seemed. Aang was a tad bit more awake than Masami and as they reached the training grounds, he spotted their teacher.

" **GOOD MORNING MASTER PAKKU!"** Aang screeched, startling the Islander to his side, her face contorting into a grimace at the slightly shrill sound. The other man's shoulders tensed, and he dropped the water he had been working with.

" **No, please, march right in, I'm not concentrating or anything."** As they approached the older man, his eyes fell on Masami in a look that she couldn't read.

" **Uhh... this is my friend, Masami, the one I told you about?"** Aang seemed trying to placate the situation. Masami bowed lightly, bringing her arms in front of herself, holding onto right elbow with her left hand. Her eyes followed the man as he made an ice chair fro himself in front of them.

**"I'm sorry. I think there's been a misunderstanding. You didn't tell me your friend was a girl. In our tribe, it is forbidden for women to learn waterbending."** Masami felt a mix of emotions behind her eyes. She wanted to cry over that blatant show of disregard for her feelings but she was also livid that this was really happening.

" **I mean no disrespect, but I don't care about your customs. I care about helping my friends, which I can't do without your help."** Masami tried to be reasonable. She was no warrior like Sokka, nor the Avatar like Aang. She had bending, and she needed to learn how to use it, surely the man could listen to reason.

" **No."** The man said simply, looking at her with a condescending smile on her face. **"Female Waterbenders in this tribe learn healing from Yugoda, I'm sure she would be happy to teach you too."**

" **No."** Masami said back in his face, her temper starting to flare.

" **No?"** Pakku returned, his face slightly confused, she supposed he didn't expect her to answer him again; maybe it wasn't lady like here in the north pole to speak without being addressed first.

" **That's right, no. If you won't teach her, you can't teach me either."** Aang chimed in before Masami could say anything else, **"Come on Masami."** He said turning to go. The gravity of this situation sinking in with her, Masami bit the inside of her cheek as she looked away from Pakku,

" **Aang, wait."** She gave the old man another look as she moved away from him to catch Aang's shoulder. **"Don't give up a good chance for me. I'll go learn healing, and you can learn from the real master. Once you master Waterbending, you can teach me too."** She tried to reason with him, on the inside she was extremely upset; but she knew he needed to learn from the best there was for the sake of the world; not throw in the towel for the sake of her. Once she got a nod from her friend, she squeezed Aang's shoulder before walking away from the training area, looking at her feet as she did.

Moving back through town, Masami considered just going back to their room but she decided against it. She had to ask around a bit, but she found the right place, the school for girls. Her head hurt from unshed tears at Pakku's words as she entered the tent.

" **I'm sorry to bother you, but are you Yugoda?"** She asked with a quiet voice. The older woman turned towards her,

" **Are you here for the healing lesson?"** She asked with a kind voice, Masami only nodded. **"Then welcome."** She said again, returning to her body model before her as Masami folded her legs under herself and sat slightly away from the other students.

* * *

 

Kali had let Fireball go not too far from the main Fire Nation encampment. It had been the first chance she'd gotten to let him go without anyone noticing. She'd left his milk with him too, open so that he could have the rest of it. She was in the middle of insisting to him that he stop following her when she heard the explosion. Other soldiers gathered around her as they all tried to get a look at where it had happened. The docks.

Later, in the middle of the night, she was summoned from her ratty cot to serve Zhao tea. She wondered if he was going to go out of his way to make things harder for her the same as Zuko had. Didn't an admiral have anything better to do? She rose irritably and readied the tea quickly in the makeshift kitchen the soldiers had set up. She made ginseng, wondering if she'd ever see Uncle Iroh again. She'd never really gotten the chance to properly thank him for all of his help over the months. Probably not, she thought sadly.

Thus, it came as a surprise to her when she arrived in Zhao's tent to find him deep in conversation with none other than Uncle. He smiled at her, then sniffed the air as she approached them.

**"Aaaaahh! Ginseng tea! My favorite."**

She smiled slightly at him. Zhao ignored her and picked up his conversation again.  
**  
**"As I was saying, I'm devastated to hear about Prince Zuko. Just devastated."****  
  
Kali froze for a moment in the act of pouring Uncle's tea, then resumed pouring as Zhao gave her a look. It was no Prince Zuko, but it was still a menacing enough look.

**"The Fire Lord will not be pleased when he learns who was responsible,"** Uncle said sadly.

**"You know who was behind the attack?"** Zhao asked, a bit too tensely, Kali thought.  
**  
**"Yes,"**** Uncle slammed his fist down, almost knocking over his tea, " **Pirates! We had a run in with them awhile back. Thank you, Kali,"** he added as she steadied his tea. Her eyes shot to Zhao's face as she spotted the slightest trace of a smile. " **They wanted revenge,"** Uncle finished. Zhao sipped his tea and Kali realized she was expected to leave now that her services were complete. She set the tea pot down on the table somewhat shakily and slowly walked out of the room.

**"So have you reconsidered my offer?"** she heard Zhao ask.

**"Yes,"** she heard Uncle reply, **"It will be an honor to serve as your general. To the Fire Nation!"**

**"To victory!"**

Kali couldn't sleep that night. And, despite her best efforts, she couldn't hold back a couple of tears. He hadn't been her friend. He'd practically been her enemy in some ways. But they'd been stuck in that ship together long enough that, try as she had not to, she'd started to care about him a little. And now, he was gone.

* * *

 

As the lesson progressed, Masami learned in theory how to do healing. But it was not something that made a lot of sense to her once it was her turn to actually try. It felt like she was missing something? Maybe it was a lesson she hadn't attended, or maybe it was the will to actually do this. She knew she should have been trying harder but her heart just wasn't in this. She wanted to help in a difference sense, not just sit on the side lines and fix injuries. She did listen though, because one never knew when knowing how to do this could come in handy.

As the lesson ended, she thanked the woman and started to leave. The other implored her to stay for a minute, she apparently had some questions for Masami, though Masami assumed they would be about Aang. She didn't want to refuse the older woman though, she had just given her a lesson after all. Beside the classroom was another room with a small table and a fire place; like an office almost. Yugoda put some tea on as Masami took a seat on the far side of the table. She folded her hands and sat quietly as she did.

" **If any of these questions are too personal, feel free to tell me as such; but we don't get many visitors up here so I'm extremely curious about a few things."** Yugoda informed her as she set a kettle over the fire to boil. She sat on the other side of the table and folded her hands on top of it. Masami nodded, smiling slightly.

" **You travel with boys who are not related to you, how did you find them?"** The question could have been patronizing, but the tone was not.

" **I was with my sister; but we got separated and Aang's group found me while I was alone and let me stay with them. Sokka's sister was with us, but we found other people from the Southern Tribe, and she went with them to find their father; so I stayed with Aang and Sokka."** She replied simply. The questions continued in this fashion, ranging from why are your eyes the color they are to how it was she was a waterbender. Once the tea was done, Masami got the courage up to ask a question of her own. Pulling her glove off, she drew a symbol in the snow; a fish with a set of spears behind it.

" **Does this mean anything to you?"** She asked, Yugoda looked at the markings and smiled lightly and nodded.

" **It's the mark of a gifted game hunter, or fisherman as the case seems here. Once you've been given this it means you made a great contribution to the tribe in a time of need. This one I have not seen in a long time, fisherman are harder to come by shockingly than hunters. Fishing for many is slightly more ambitious than hunting for many since hunting yields more food generally. Where did you see this?"** She asked, cocking her head to the side.

" **It was on a weapon my grandfather owned. Like a knife made out of bone, I would show it to you, but when I lost my sister I lost most of my things.** " Masami was sad about that, she had loved that dagger; despite not being very handy with it. She knew though Kali would take care of it.

" **What was your grandfather's name?"** Yugoda asked.

" **Nanuk."** The look she gave Masami afterwards seemed like she knew something about that name.

" **We always wondered what happened to him, his fiancée died and then he was gone. Most of us assumed the worst, went out fishing and never was heard of again; his sister was devastated."** Masami had never heard that story, she never knew anything about his life before Kyoshi except where he was from.

" **Is his sister still alive?"** She asked tentatively, getting a nod from Yugoda.

" **Can I meet her?"** She rolled her fingers into her coat, waiting for a response which was another smile and nod. For the first time since that morning, Masami felt excited about something.

* * *

 

After a sleepless night, Kali had come to the conclusion that she was either in denial or she was brighter than Zhao. She wanted to believe it was the second. Admiral Sideburns, she was pretty sure, had something to do with the explosion of Zuko's ship. It seemed a little too convenient that the pirates had blown up the ship right after all of the crew had left and right after Zhao had been there. It was known well enough Zuko and Zhao didn't get along after all

What gave her hope that the plan hadn't worked was Uncle. She couldn't picture him taking Zuko's death so lightly. Nor did it seem like him to join Zhao's mission immediately afterward. She clung to these ideas for hope as she rose and helped prepare breakfast with the other cooks while the rest of the soldiers took down the camp. She spotted Balbo and Hadji taking down a tent briefly as she passed through the camp on her way to Zhao's tent.

She took a deep breath, composed herself, and strolled into his tent with breakfast for him and his war council. Silently, she set it out for all of them as they continued their discussion of their plans as if she didn't exist. She looked at Zhao's smug face and imagined slamming his plate into his face, eggs and all. Instead, she poured him his morning tea then moved on to Uncle. She looked into his eyes, looking for some sign of reassurance, but he just gave her a sympathetic smile and kept his eyes difficult to read.

After she'd served them, she helped serve the rest of the navy (among whom she found Jee, Kahn, and Balbo again), then packed up her tent along with the other cooks she'd shared it with. She barely had time to gulp down her own breakfast before they began boarding their ships. Kali, to her dismay, was assigned to Zhao's ship as a cook and soldier. She was provided with a worn set of clothes and armor which were too big for her and sent aboard. Her only consolation was knowing that Uncle would be on board the ship as well.

* * *

 

Once Yugoda got her to the house of her family, she was warmly welcomed by the Great Aunt she never knew she had, her name was Zyanya and she reminded Masami greatly of her Grandfather. They spent the afternoon getting to know one another, and Masami promised to bring her friends by before they were to depart the North Pole.

Leaving early in the evening, Masami made her way back towards the house they had been given use of, meeting Aang as she did. They closed the door behind them, and shared stories from their day. Aang's training had not gone as well as Masami would have hoped, but he was extremely excited to hear about her Great Aunt.

As they chatted, Sokka came in and threw himself between them dramatically.

" **How was training?"** He asked from his place on the bag between them.

" **Master Poophead won't teach her because she's a girl. So I'm teaching her at night myself."** Aang declared, Masami smiled.

" **I'm having to learn healing which I'm not good at, but I'm trying."** She said with a small voice.

" **Glad to see everyone here is happy but me."** He grossed.

" **You're never happy, Sokka. Come on Masami, let's go practice."** Aang retorted, grabbing Masami's hand as he pulled her out of the hut.

Aang led Masami back to the training area she had left that day, and they began passing a waterwhip back and forth like they had done so many times before.

" **Master Pakku said this move is all about sinking and floating."** Aang told her as they passed the whip back and forth, as Masami caught it, it was taken from her and whirled around her body. Her eyes looked up as she caught sight of Pakku standing on a walkway above them.

" **You have disrespected me, my teachings, and my entire culture. You are no longer welcome as my student."** Masami felt her hands shaking with anger, she wanted many things right now but she primarily knew she needed to fix this for the world's sake.

Marching herself away from the training area, she approached the Palace where they had eaten the night before, and asked for audience with both Pakku and the Chief. Once they were both in attendance she spoke, **"Sir, I know you don't agree with women learning what you teach, and I'm sorry Aang and I didn't think about that before we started training. You have to teach Aang; him learning waterbending is more important than your pride and mine."** She crossed her arms as she spoke, not liking to admit defeat; but it seemed this time she would have to.

" **Is than an apology, child?"** He asked, his tone snide. Her hands shook as she glanced down at the floor. _Do it for Aang._ She told herself, but as normal; her mouth and her brain were working apart.

" **No; it's not. I will never apologize to an asshat like you."** She growled, her voice lower than it normally was. **"If you think for a minute that I'm intimidated by an old man like you; you're wrong. When you're ready, I'll be outside to show you exactly how afraid I'm not."** She finished, turning her back to him and the rest of the council as she made her way outside.

* * *

 

Kali burned to question Iroh about what had happened and whether Zuko was really dead or not, but she had no way to do so discreetly. Zhao, who seemed to have taken an instant dislike to her, kept her nearly as busy as Zuko had and had her watched carefully by the crew she worked among. This time, she had no crew to sympathize with, no kitten to play with, and no uncle of her boss to get her off the hook occasionally. The crew was rigid, disciplined, and had no interest in chatting with someone who was basically just an Earth Kingdom captive in cook's clothing. Zuko's apparent death hung over her and her thoughts drifted often to Masami, wondering if she was okay and what she was doing. The Avatar was apparently at the North Pole, which was a major reason for why Zhao had decided to invade the Northern Water Tribe now. She resolved to do whatever she could to find Masami and her friends during the invasion, wishing she had some way to warn them. She sighed as she opened the closet and pulled out…a mop. Always, a mop. Then she heard Uncle's voice.

He apparently was whispering to someone. She tried to sneak closer, curious. As she did so, she heard Uncle whisper hastily, "Someone's coming!" followed by words she didn't understand. She heard footsteps approaching and hastened back to mopping. She saw the pointy shoes and lower armor of a firebender costume and kept quiet, biting back the impulse to urge the firebender to be careful, lest he slip like Zuko always had.

The firebender hesitated where she was working, causing her to look up at him out of the corner of her eye. She squinted hard at the skull-like mask staring down at her and tried to make out the eyes but to no avail. Finally, as he stood there still silently, she assumed he must be waiting for her. Well, why didn't you just say so then? she thought, scowling and shifting further to the side.

She would later explain what happened next to herself as the universe's version of a sense of humor. As the man started to walk past her, he brushed the edge of the bucket and caught the handle, leading him to stumble and, oddly, to his foot being trapped in the bucket. Thus, when he put his foot back down with the bucket on it and leaned down to get it off, his foot slipped. And, of course, he fell backwards into Kali. The mask held fast but with his face now just inches from her face, just like not-so-old times, she could see his eyes clearly. She could also see his scar.

* * *

 

" **Masami, this probably isn't a good idea."** Aang urged as he followed at her heels.

" **He's right, he's a really good waterbender, and you're not bad! But you're not a master either."** Sokka was tried to reason as well.

" **This isn't a good idea and you're right; I'm not. But I'm not going to sit around and listen to him be a jerk anymore."** She pulled her coat off; leaving her just in the light blue dress, her hair falling to the sides as she reached behind her head to tie it back and out of her face.

As she turned to look behind her, she found Pakku leaving the palace as well. She narrowed her eyes at him, not speaking as he walked passed her. She assumed he would make good on her offer to fight but he did not.

" **More of a coward than I thought you were."** She hissed as he passed her.

" **Go back to the healing huts with the rest of the women where you belong."** He replied, causing the last little bit of restraint Masami had to slip. She pulled water from the snow beneath her feet, refroze it into something resembling a dagger, and threw it at the side of his head, slicing his face open as she did. She brought her hands up in front of her, readying herself for the attack she assumed would come next.

" **Fine, you want to learn to fight so bad, study closely."** He turned to face her, pulling the water from the pools beside them to make a large barrier of water surrounding them both. He moved his hands in a way that brought them towards each other, and she had very little room to move herself which was letting her know how much movement she wasted while she bended sometimes. So, she was learning something from this even if it was about to turn unpleasant. He moved the water from around them both to just incase her, and she learned quickly that she couldn't breath. She was not off the ground though, so before she brought on a full panic she moved her feet like she often saw Aang do, side stepping in a way and she was able to free herself.

As she gasped for air, she had little time to recover because he was on her again; really apparently fighting her and she was sure she had bitten off more than she could chew this time.

She pulled herself up and he started whipping the ground where she knelt, and she rolled from side to side trying to get away from him. Hitting her a few times was enough to let her know she had to get back on her feet. She managed to snag on of the whips as it hit her again, using the technique similar to how she managed to catch water when Aang sent it her way, she broke off part of the whip and used it to surround herself like he had done to her previously, though this time she was using it defensively, warding off the whip he still had.

" **So, you can learn how to follow someone else's lead; impressive enough for a woman."** He sneered, and she felt her composure break a little more. She advanced on him, raising the water in front of her in a still defensive like stance but not as strong of one as she had had. She launched the water at him in the moved that practiced with Aang the first day they met; and she managed to hit him though not as well as she would have liked. He pulled the water out of his clothes and he used it to wrap around her middle and brought his open hand to create another whip that wrapped around her neck, pulling him towards his feet.

As he did, a voice caught them both off guard; apparently as this was happening; Yugoda had sent someone after Masami's Great Aunt who was extremely put out by Pakku's behavior.

" **Pakku! Enough. Nanuk would have been disgusted with you for this; terrorizing a helpless child; more than once I've been told now! Shame!"** She chided, advancing on the older man who actually looked upset about what she was saying. He dropped the whips that had been holding Masami, and she coughed lightly; the one around her neck had tightened when her aunt had appeared.

" **What does he have to do with anything, Zyanya? He's long dead."**

**"Apparently not so long; the girl you're trying to choke is his granddaughter and I think the treatment you've shown her since she's been here shows how little your mentor actually meant to you."** Mentor? Masami was confused. Aang and Sokka came to her side, pulling her up as they did. The group listened as Zyanya spoke again.

" **Master Pakku here learned as all young men in our tribe do, to hunt or fish. He learned for Nanuk as a child, and always said he wanted to be a fisherman worth of the _Nalunailiwok,_ that symbol you showed me. But, your grandfather's fiancée died and he left, as you know. Then shortly there after Pakku's own faincee left, and he was alone. Apparently instead of moving on with his life, he took to beating little girls to assuage his hard feelings."**

All eyes were on Pakku, and the group had nothing else much to say at this point.

* * *

 

Kali blurted out the first thought that crossed her mind.

**"You have terrible luck, you know that?"**

He half-groaned, half-growled and picked himself up before muttering, **"I don't need luck."**

She stared up at him, taking in the fact that his continued existence in this world was now official. Then, she picked herself up and said quietly **, "I...I'm glad you're alive. Even though you tried to fire me…and made a pretty awful boss in general. I was…worried when General Iroh joined the invasion."** ****  
  
Zuko looked awkward then tried to pretend he hadn't looked awkward.

**"I take it you're sneaking about pretending to be a soldier so you can get to the Avatar first when we get to the North Pole?"**

**"Yes."**

Silence. She could tell he was trying to gauge what she would do. She wasn't sure whether to wish him a sarcastic good luck or inform him that was a stupid plan. In the end she went with **"Well you'd better keep going wherever you're going then so you don't get caught."**

She went back to mopping and waved a dismissive hand at him. He turned, leaving without a word.

* * *

 

The following morning, Masami rose with the sun; though slightly sore. She looked around to see Aang already gone and Sokka still snoring. She pulled her clothes on and rushed out of the hut. She was running later than she planned. Turning corners she learned to cut down on time, she rushed up to meet the group already assembled.

" **Sorry."** She mumbled, looking at the balding man standing before her.

" **What do you think you're doing? It's after sunrise."** He said with a slight smile, which she returned; readying herself for the hard lesson it seemed he might have in store for the group.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry we've been absent! Hope you guys enjoy!


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